Divulge
by Cudan2
Summary: There's nothing left for Juliet Hanson to do but to run. She's running and running, but when money's running low, she's forced to stop in the small town of Forks, Washington. What happens when a peculiar handsome doctor saves her? Can she save him right back or will Juliet continue to run away?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Aside from my own characters in this story, everything else related to _Twilight_ belongs to Stephanie Meyer. **

There was no one left.

Gunshots rang through my ears as I gunned down the beltway, leaving the city of Seattle forever.

There was no one left.

My mother was dead and my father had abandoned us when I was three. There was only a matter of time before _they_ would find me again, and what would I do then? I was prepared, though. Run. That was all I ever did. I knew no other way to solve my problems. It's not like anyone would've helped me anyway. They all turn blind eye to me as if I was invisible to them.

I guess that would've made sense. I was just a silly, little, pathetic girl, a coward. Why would anyone ever pay any attention to the likes of me?

Tears blurred my vision as I drove. There were so many things wrong with my life, yet who could I blame? Myself? My mother? The man who left us?

Why couldn't it all just end?

 **~oxOXOxo~**

The fog thickened and the rain continued to pound harder and harder against the windshield, making me squint at the road in front of me. It didn't matter that it was the middle of September; it rained almost every single day in this damned place.

I'd been on the run for far too long. Driving from Seattle to here would've only taken about four hours. Instead, I'd spent almost four weeks driving around the state avoiding _him._ It didn't make it any easier that his men were everywhere, at every corner, waiting to find me and report my location to their leader.

My supply of cash was running low, forcing me to settle down for a while until I could get a job, get more money, and I'd then be back on the road to who knows where. I would've withdrawn the money my mother left me when she died, but the account was being watched. Forty grand was all I was originally able to retrieve before _he_ found me once again. Like before, I managed to escape him and with the remaining cash I had left, I was rented a house on the outskirts of Forks, a town in the middle of nowhere that hopefully wouldn't be found by _that psychopath_. There was only one house anywhere near the one I rented, so I figured that if anyone wanted to live that far away from everything, they would probably leave me alone.

Now that I was driving through the area, it made me really wonder why I even stayed in this state. Though, it wouldn't be right for me to complain. At least I was farther away from _him_ than before.

 _"But he'll find you,"_ I thought to myself, " _You know he has eyes everywhere."_

Sighing, I focused on what was in front of me. Wait– What exactly was in front me? I squinted a bit harder and, thanks to my headlights that were actually turned on unlike the other vehicle, saw the outline of a large car speeding towards me. Who the hell would even be up at this ungodly hour? Mentally cursing, I forcefully turned the steering wheel to avoid being hit. My car swerved off the already wet road and slammed into a tree. The windshield shattered into thousands of little pieces and I automatically brought my arms up to cover myself from the glass and airbags.

Fuck my already hellish life.

It was a miracle I was still alive. My thin t-shirt did nothing to protect my arms, as they received multiple cuts from the glass. Hopefully I didn't have a concussion in addition to my minor injuries.

Once regaining my senses, I looked through the broken windows. The hood of the car was heavily damaged, but what about the engine? Shakily, I tried to turn the car on. The engines spluttered to life and died out again.

"Damn it!" I muttered under by breath.

Behind me, the car that caused my crash sped off and I didn't know whether to be grateful for it or not. Perhaps the driver was going to the hospital to alert them about me, whatever the possibility, I couldn't risk it. For one thing, there was no way I wanted to pay the outrageous bill and then there was also the issue of the psychopath tracking me down. No, I couldn't stay. I had to get to the house _now._

I snatched the two duffel bags that held the little possessions I had out of the back and sprinted down the road. The little droplets of rain shot against my face like mini bullets as my heart pounded against my chest. My hair stuck to the back of my shirt, dripping more water down the drenched clothes. The house luckily wasn't too far from where I crashed. I could see it from the distance. Despite the adrenaline pumping through my veins, I was beginning to feel slightly light-headed from running in the extreme weather.

Once reaching my destination, I glanced down at the faded address on my hand to confirm whether it was the right house and trudged up to the front door where I stumbled and fell to my knees. The duffel bags fell to the ground along with the key. Did I call out for help? Obviously not. The last thing I wanted was someone to find me. I finally collapsed onto the ground with a groan and darkness consumed me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** **Aside from my own characters in this story, everything else related to** ** _Twilight_** **belongs to Stephanie Meyer. If you like my story so far, don't forget to follow, favorite, and/or leave a review!**

I awoke with a pounding headache and feeling like the earth was spinning underneath me. Had I been drugged? I recalled the car crash and passing out, but if this was what death felt like, it sucked. My eyes cracked open and the bright fluorescent lights momentarily blinded me. Nope, I definitely was not dead. There were bandages wrapped all around my forearms. The constant footsteps and chatter from the hallway filled my ears and the slight smell of disinfectant lingered in the air.

I was in a hospital.

How on earth did I end up in here? I thought the point of running a quarter of a mile was to avoid ending up in here!

 _"Shit."_ Though groggy _,_ my thoughts instantly went to my possessions. One of the duffel bags held around $20,500 while the other had all my personal items. I couldn't afford to lose either of them, literally. Those two bags were all I had left since my car was completely totaled.

As I was worrying about my stuff, I hadn't notice the nurse entering my room.

"Ah! Good morning Ms. Hanson! How are we feeling today?" the older woman asked cheerfully, nearly giving me a heart attack. She seemed to be in her early to mid thirties and wearing much too much makeup for my taste. I narrowed my eyes at the lady in front of me.

"Dr. Cullen will be seeing you in a moment," the nurse added as she continued to look over the clipboard at the foot of the bed. "You were extremely lucky he was coming home when he found your car."

I made no effort to reply. Everything was going wrong at this point. I had to get out of this place as fast as possible before _he_ could track me down.

"Where are all my things?" I asked. My throat was dry and croaky. The woman pointed to a cabinet in the corner and left after saying she'd come back later. With a long sigh, I pressed a hand to my forehead. I was burning up. _Fantastic_.

When the doctor strolled in, I then realized why the nurse was wearing so much makeup. The man had the looks of a god. Hell, the gods probably even envied his looks. My mouth nearly fell open at the doctor's appearance. His locks of blond hair were combed back, presenting more of his perfectly sculpted facial features. Looking more closely, I noticed that the faint lines of his muscles on his slender frame that even the spotless white coat couldn't seem to hide. Yet, that same coat seemed to bring out how pale his skin was, even compared to me.

I wanted to kick myself for swooning, but who could blame me? With a face like that, why was he a doctor when he could be the face of Calvin Klein or Armani?

 _Dear lord, I need to get a grip._

"Good morning, Miss. Hanson. I'm Dr. Cullen," he greeted me in a soft voice. That was when I looked up at the towering man and noticed his eyes. They were black and resembled pieces of obsidian. Although there was a twinkle in his dark eyes, I could tell the doctor in front of me has suffered much pain and sorrow throughout his life.

"Doctor," I replied curtly. If he noticed my animosity, he didn't show any signs of it.

"You seem to have taken quite the spill when we found you last night. How are you feeling right now?"

"Aside from the headache, dizzy," I tried to keep my talking to a minimum. He wrote my answers down on a clipboard and looked back up.

"The dizziness is most likely from the sedative we gave you while you were unconscious. You kept fighting back in your sleep which made it difficult to check the extent of your injuries." Old habits die hard. I was so used to defending myself, that my body would unconsciously defend itself in case _the psychopath_ attacked me while I slept. "Look here for a moment," Dr. Cullen directed me, shining a light into my eyes. Though the world still spun around me, my eyes were able to aimlessly follow the beam, appeasing the doctor.

"Well, Miss. Hanson, you don't seem to have any brain injuries, meaning you probably passed out from exhaustion. However, I'll still have you do some testing later just to make sure I didn't miss anything. When was the last time you had a good night's sleep?"

I glanced away from the doctor's gaze sheepishly. "It's been a while," I muttered and his gaze slightly morphed into a small scowl. I felt like a child being reprimanded for stealing a cookie before dinner. It wasn't my fault that I constantly had nightmares. The only time when I was able to get a "good night's sleep" was when my body was too exhausted to dream.

"Enough questions for now. I'll need to take your temperature, so open wide," he pulled out a thermometer.

"104.5 degrees," he murmured. "You have a fever. We'll get you some Tylenol and let you get some well needed rest, Miss. Hanson. It was nice meeting you," he offered his hand and I hesitantly shook it, instantly noticing the difference in temperature when I touched him.

Dr. Cullen left the room and before he could close the door, the nurse came up to him. I could only hear a couple words they were saying, but it seemed that someone was here to see me. I prayed it wasn't who I thought it was.

With a sigh, the doctor walked into my room once again.

"I'm sorry, Miss. Hanson, but it seems Chief Swan would like to ask you some questions regarding your accident." My body visibly relaxed from its tensed position, but I was still on edge. The police department back in Seattle and I didn't really have a good relationship. Especially after I discovered that _he_ had some power over them, so it was no surprise that I was against talking to any law enforcement.

Chief Swan's quick shuffle into my room contrasted against Dr. Cullen's graceful steps. He had curly brown hair, a mustache, and like the doctor, was definitely taller than me. However, he seemed to lack the same air of mystery as the man standing next to him.

"Sorry for bothering you; the station wanted me to question you as fast as possible."

"It's fine," I replied with nonchalance, hoping he wouldn't ask anything that would give me away. With great effort, I managed to push myself into a sitting position on the bed. I could see another look of disapproval out of the corner of my eye from Dr. Cullen.

"Charlie, perhaps we should wait until tomorrow to question Miss. Hanson, or at least until she's well rested. She's only just woken up," the doctor pointed out. No! I just wanted to get this over with and then I could get the hell out of here!

"I assure you, Dr. Cullen. This is only going to take a couple minutes at most," the chief said in response.

A small sigh escaped the doctor's pursed lips. "If you say so, Charlie. If you need me I'll be in my office–"

"No!" I cried out too quickly, earning alarmed looks from the two men. "I mean Chief Swan could have some questions for you since you were the one who found me last night. We might as well answer all of them here instead of making him do more work." _Nice save._ The chief looked harmless enough, but looks could be deceiving. I didn't trust being alone in this room, drugged and slightly immobile, with a cop.

Dr. Cullen's brows furrowed as if sensing my sudden distress. "Do you mind if I stay?" he asked the chief, who only shrugged in reply and pulled out a small recorder from his pocket.

"Please state your full name," Chief Swan instructed me, pulling out a pencil and a notepad to write on.

"Juliet Marianne Hanson."

"Can you tell us what you remember from last night, Miss. Hanson?"

I sighed. Though it was a bit hard to concentrate, the memories were vivid. "I recently moved here to Forks. It was raining as I was driving to my house and my car swerved off the road and hit a tree."

"The reports said that you were found unconscious in front of your house, though. Not in your car."

"My phone had run out of battery," I came up with a lie easily. "I ran to my house so I could call the police. According to Dr. Cullen, I passed out from exhaustion when I made it to the front door and woke up here." Drowsiness was beginning to creep up on me at this point.

Chief Swan looked towards the doctor, who was standing in the corner. "Can you confirm this, Doc?"

"Yes. Miss. Hanson does not seem to have sustained any brain injury, so her body simply reacted to sleep deprivation which caused her to pass out."

"I see. Where did you live previously and why did you decide to move to Forks? Can't be because of the weather," the chief suddenly asked, turning towards me.

"No, it's definitely not the dreary weather," I presented a fake smile to cover my panic with the question. "I've been on the road for a while, but I lived in Seattle before. I wanted to get away from the city so I came to Forks." It wasn't another lie. I really did want to get away from the city, but probably not for the reason the chief was thinking of.

"Well, I think we're done here, Miss. Hanson. You should probably get some rest now; you look like you're about to pass out again. I only have a couple more questions for you, Dr. Cullen," he finally finished. Chief Swan stood up from the chair he was sitting in and exited the room.

Before the doctor followed the chief, he looked over towards me with a small smile. "Get some sleep, Miss. Hanson. Doctor's order."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** **Aside from my own characters in this story, everything else related to** ** _Twilight_** **belongs to Stephanie Meyer. If you like my story so far, don't forget to follow, favorite, and/or leave a review!**

It was two in the morning according to the digital clock. I was in the bathroom staring at myself in the mirror. The cuts on my arms had been cleaned and rebandaged. They were going to scar once the stitches were taken out.

Freshly washed hair hung down in golden brown waves. I hadn't had a decent meal in a while and my hollowing cheeks and thin frame were evidence of that. In the mirror, stormy blue eyes stared back at me, serving as a reminder of who I lost years ago. How did it all go wrong?

My lips, although normally full and soft, were now cracked and split. A piece of glass from the crash managed to nick me just above my eyebrow. God, I looked like I'd been mugged.

With a sigh, I slipped on a sweatshirt and heaved the duffel bags over my shoulders. The doctor said I'd be released within a couple days, but I couldn't wait any longer; I was getting out of this place. Besides, I couldn't imagine how atrocious the bill for this place must be already. The lights were dimmed in the empty hallway, making my escape even easier. Quickly jogging down some corridors and down a stairwell, I was about to make it through a side door when the familiar velvety voice appeared behind me.

"Going somewhere, Miss. Hanson?" I could've run. There was nothing between me and the door, yet my feet refused to move. Slowly, I turned around and faced the doctor's scrutinizing glare. If looks could kill, I would've been dead.

We stared at each other for what seemed like ages. The tension between the two of us was so thick a knife could've sliced through it. I couldn't help but continue to notice the way he stood with his arms crossed and how the moonlight reflected off his black eyes, concealing his pain from the rest of the world. He may have hid it well, but it was easily recognizable to me. What has this man gone through? The next thing I knew, he took a step towards me and I flinched. He was so close. Too close. It was much different than when he was checking up on me.

"No one is going to hurt you here," said the doctor in a quiet tone.

"You can't promise that. I'm not safe here." _Not here, not anywhere._ "I-I need to leave. I just want to go home," I suddenly said.

Home.

Where was home anymore? In what world could I consider anywhere home when there was no one to live in it with? There was no one left. No one that cared, no one left that wanted to help me. I was completely alone in this cruel world.

Dr. Cullen let out a small sigh I hadn't known he was holding.

"Please, Miss. Hanson. If you're intent on leaving, at least stay the rest of the night. The last time I checked, your fever hasn't died down yet. I'll have some transportation arranged for you tomorrow, but please, it's no safer out there than it is in here right now," he begged, losing all sense of coolness he possessed earlier. I wrapped my arms around my frail body instinctively. Was he really doing this to me?

"You are in no position to make deals with me, Dr. Cullen," I snapped at him harshly. What could possibly be worse than being trapped inside a hospital with a lunatic chasing after you?

"Juliet," he said, marking the first time he called me something other than 'Miss. Hanson.' "There are monsters outside those doors far worse than you can ever imagine. What you're trying to run away from, I can ensure you that you will be no safer out there than in here _where I can protect you_ ," Dr. Cullen said those last couple words so quietly, I almost thought they were imagined. Freaked out, I took a step back. Who did this man think he was? I was about to bolt for the door when the lights turned fully on.

"Dr. Cullen? Is there something wrong?" a man in a matching white lab coat asked.

The handsome blond flashed a smile. "Nothing wrong here, Dr. Anderson. I was simply showing Miss. Hanson back to her room, right?" he looked at me with a playful smirk. Damn him.

"Right," I gritted my teeth. A cold hand was placed on my back and I clenched my jaw. He was ensuring I wouldn't escape tonight. I glared daggers at Doctor Cullen as he guided me down the hallways I escaped only moments ago.

 **~oxOXOxo~**

The next morning, trapped to the confines of the small bed, I was stuck watching flipping through channels on a small TV in the corner of the room and eating a small bowl of oatmeal. PBS, weather, cook shows, nothing particularly captured my interest until I saw the breaking news of the morning. The Shadows. They were a gang that originated in the heart of Seattle in the 1980s. The gang was relatively quiet, up until the last couple of years when the killings started, notoriously known as the King County Killings.

Most, if not all, members of the gang wore all black. They could be living in the slums or the top mansions of Beverly Hills, but the important thing was that they had power. In their "efforts" to cure what they believed was a corrupt government, they only corrupted it themselves. You could never tell who was a Shadowman and who wasn't.

I sat up against the headboard and raised the volume of the TV, bracing myself for what I was about to hear. "A body was found around 7:30 this morning in Lake Washington. Due to the injuries presented, officials believe it to be once again, another King County Killing, bringing the number of victims up to 54 now."

Quickly, I turned off the TV, grimacing at the images popping up in my head. Not only were the Shadowmen major in drug trafficking, embezzlement, robbery, and kidnapping, they were notorious for their style of killing. So far, all of the victims had been mercilessly tortured before having their hands tied to their ankles and their arms chopped off after, so it hung off their legs as the victims drowned in whatever body of water they were thrown in. _"That could've been you,"_ a part of me reminded.

"Miss. Hanson, nice to see you're up and eating. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day after all."

Right. The infuriating doctor was back again with his obnoxiously good looks. Was it not possible for him to leave me in peace for just a moment? Though, knowing how he was, the doctor would send a nurse and that wasn't a better option either.

"I hope you slept well last night. No interruptions I assume?" I looked up at him. What was this man playing at? Questions ran through my head at a hundred miles per second. For one, why didn't I get out last night? It was like there was something about this peculiar doctor that was holding me back, and what was Dr. Cullen talking about last night? Protect me? If anything, he was the one that was going to need protection if he kept this up. There was no possible way a simple doctor could ever hold up against a mob of Shadowmen, if they came.

"You know the drill; open wide," he said, pulling out another thermometer. "99 degrees. Your fever's gone down, but don't think you can skip out on getting sleep, Miss. Hanson. Your body is still recovering itself."

"You're still keeping me here?" Disbelief crept through my voice. I knew it. I shouldn't have believed him.

A small chuckle made its way past his lips, "No. Seeing how your tests show nothing out of the ordinary, you are perfectly fine to go home around noon. However, you will have to come back in about five days so we can remove your stitches."

Thank God. I could finally leave this place. Relieved barely described what I was feeling right now. The way Dr. Cullen looked though; it was almost as if he was disappointed? Perhaps worried? His face held no emotion, but his eyes… Those deep, dark eyes told his entire life story.

"Will a family member or friend be picking you up later?" he suddenly asked. It was a question too personal and brought up some unwanted feelings deep inside me. Although it wasn't his fault, did he have to remind me that I was alone?

"Why do you ask, Dr. Cullen?" The air turned awkward. It was his attempt at casual conversation, I'm sure of it, but I wasn't keen on letting this man know anything more about me.

"You had no emergency contact listed, and seeing how you recently moved to Forks, I didn't think you personally knew anyone here." He was very presumptive, but correct nonetheless. _Clever:_ Another word to add to the list of traits defining this doctor.

"You seem quite invested in my life, doctor. Don't think I haven't forgotten about last night," I stated.

"And neither have I, Miss. Hanson. That stunt you attempted to pull last night was very irresponsible and foolish of you last night. Do you not care for your own health at all?" he admonished me.

Wait. Hold up. How did this conversation turn onto me?

I was pissed. There was really no other way to describe it. How dare he say that when he has no idea what I was running away from? _"Do you not care for your own health at all?"_ Of course not– not when I could potentially save my own life! Frustration and anger surged through my veins as I attempted to restrain myself from throwing something at the doctor's pretty little face.

A moment filled with unresolved tension passed between us until Dr. Cullen let out a barely audible sigh and stuffed his hands into his coat pockets.

"Although what I am about to offer is unethical and completely inappropriate, I can't help but feel this is the least I can offer you at this point. If you wait until after my shift is done, I can drive you home, if you wish," he added quickly.

I was speechless. _That_ was the last thing I expected him to ask me. For one thing, it would save me time considering I had no other ride, but on the hand, the more I interacted with the doctor the more perplexing he became. Last night still bothered me. He couldn't possibly be a shadowman, could he? That was the only explanation I could come up with. Yes…That had to be it! There was no other reason for him wanting me to stay for so long. However, there was a small voice telling me I was wrong. Somehow, my intuition just knew that Dr. Cullen wasn't the bad guy, but my brain was going in a different direction.

I was quiet for just a bit too long. "I see… I can go arrange a taxi to pick you up at–" the doctor started.

"No! It's fine. If it's no bother to you, I'd really appreciate that ride," I blurted out. What was I thinking? This man could've been a murderer for all I knew! Oh God… What have I gotten myself into?

For some suspiciously unknown reason, the blond looked way too relieved. "I wouldn't have offered if I minded. Believe me, you won't be a bother," he responded with a genuine smile. "My shift ends in about an hour and a half. Perhaps you can pack up your things and wait in my office until then? I can help you check out after that."

There was no backing out now. I wanted to get out of this hospital ever since I woke up after all. "Yeah, it's not like I have anything else to do then, right?" I laughed awkwardly. It sounded strange, the laughter, but the doctor paid no attention to it.

"Right. Well, I have to take care of some other patients for a couple minutes. When you're done gathering everything, wait in the hallway."

"Let me guess, doctor's order?" I recalled from yesterday.

Melodious laughter came from Dr. Cullen. "Yes, Miss. Hanson. Doctor's orders."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Aside from my own characters in this story, everything else related to** ** _Twilight_** **belongs to Stephanie Meyer. If you like my story so far, don't forget to follow, favorite, and/or leave a review!**

There was a desk in the corner with piles of paper organized neatly on top. Along one of the walls stood two bookshelves filled with what I could only assume as medical texts and files. It felt strangely too professional. There were no personal items that I could see. No pictures of friends or families, not even the medical degrees that doctors normally had on their walls. It was like the doctor himself was hiding some part of his life. This only added more to my suspicions of him.

I nervously fidgeted on a plush armchair in his office. I didn't belong in here. My eyes kept darting from the clock on the wall to the closed door. Every time I heard footsteps in the hallway, my heart couldn't help but speed up a little. This could very well possibly be the ride to my death and it scared me, but what other option was there at this point?

Glancing back at the clock, I realized it was 11:37. He was nearly ten minutes late. _"Probably got caught up with the patients,"_ I told myself, but it wasn't very reassuring. Bringing the thick locks over my shoulder, I started braiding my hair in order to give my fingers something to do other than picking at the skin around my fingernails. Footsteps were coming. They stopped at the door and the handle turned.

"Sorry to keep you waiting; there was some extra paperwork the nurses needed me to fill," Dr. Cullen said in a bitter tone that made me wonder whether the nurses really did need him to fill papers. "I hate having to keep you here any longer, but I'm going to change and then we can get going," he took off the lab coat, revealing his bare arms that I couldn't help but stare at. He had the face and apparently the arms too. The only thing he seemed to lack was a decent tan, but even that wasn't necessary with looks like that.

Diverting my eyes, I mumbled something along the lines of "fine by me" and got back to my hair. Anything to keep my mind from drifting off to Dr. Cullen and what he could have underneath those scrubs… No! I was going to need to stop thinking all together if I wanted to distract myself. Whether I was distracting myself from his looks or my impending death, I wasn't exactly sure anymore. Probably both.

Dr. Cullen– I didn't know where he stood at the moment. He was charming, to say the least, polite, there wasn't anything visibly wrong with him, but there was something about him that set me on edge. He was getting too close. He knew something that I didn't and it scared me. This man could potentially be dangerous and I could be walking straight into a trap if I wasn't careful.

He came back wearing a pair of jeans and a dark purple sweater over a collared shirt. He'd switched his sneakers out for a classier looking pair of Oxford shoes and had a scarf draped around his neck.

"Are you ready to go?"

I nodded and went to pick up the duffel bags.

"Here, let me," Dr. Cullen began grabbing the bags with ease before I could protest and I momentarily stared at him with shock. Those bags weren't exactly the lightest weight to carry around.

As if predicting I would complain, he motioned towards a backpack sitting in one of the chairs, "I know what you're about to say, Miss. Hanson. I will gladly carry your bags if you could grab my backpack. It's a fair trade." Grudgingly, I got the backpack and we made our way to the check-out desk.

"Oh, Dr. Cullen!" the lady at the desk squealed, suddenly patting her hair and smoothing out her clothes furiously. "I thought you'd left already!"

He gave her a somewhat strangled smile and I couldn't help snicker at that, quickly suppressing it into a cough when the blond glared at me.

"Simply helping out a _friend_ here check out." Since when were the two of us friends? How ballsy of him to say that. We've only knew each other for a total of two days! Then again, I was agreeing to get in a car with a stranger, so perhaps he wasn't the only delusional one in this case.

As I filled out the paperwork, trying to provide as little information as possible at the same time, I caught the doctor staring at me out the corner of my eyes. What was so interesting about me right now?

"Staring is rude, Dr. Cullen. I'm sure you should know that from all the women in here ogling at you." It was like he hadn't even realized he was the most gorgeous thing here.

"It would seem I've been caught red handed. My apologies, Miss. Hanson."

Rolling my eyes, I got up and handed back the papers. As we walked towards the exit, I no longer felt as anxious near the doctor as I did before. Perhaps it was the fact that after this, I wouldn't ever have to see this man again.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Oh… My thoughts aren't worth that much," I replied, looking up towards the dreary sky. It was drizzling and my light cardigan did nothing to shield me from the cold. There were too many thoughts running through my head right now. Why was he so invasive sometimes?

"Nonsense, Miss. Hanson."

"Why are you so interested in what I'm thinking?" Or just me in general.

He looked at me thoughtfully before replying. "I find that I'm able to read people easily. You, on the other hand, I can't seem to ever figure out what you're thinking. You're… almost an enigma to me, Miss. Hanson. A mystery. There's simply so much hidden behind those blue eyes of yours." He suddenly stopped and furrowed his brows slightly. "Excuse me, I've said too much already."

The doctor pulled out his car keys and pressed a button, unlocking the car. A beep could be heard and I looked around in search of his car. My eyes landed on a Mercedes. _"Of course he owns a damn Mercedes."_ I thought bitterly. We loaded our things in the back and I sat gingerly in the passenger seat, feeling once again out of place. The car, I noted, had a faint sweet, but almost woodsy smell– a peculiar smell impossible not to get attracted to. How had I not smelled it on Dr. Cullen before?

"Are you cold?" I was about to say no, but the even colder air in the car caused me to involuntarily shiver.

"I'm taking that as a yes," the doctor laughed and raised the heating in the car. I wasn't dead yet, so this couldn't be too bad. About five minutes into the ride, I changed my mind. This guy was a maniac at driving. We were going at almost 90 miles per hour down the street. We'd either get pulled over or hit something before I would make it to the house.

"I have a question for you."

A smile flashed on his face. "Shoot." That one word sent me back into panic mode. Clutching my arms, I tried to suppress the memories flooding back at me.

 _"Shoot," He ordered. I was on the stairs, around the corner and out of sight. If he caught me, I'd surely be dead. There was nothing I could do to save the man pleading for his life right now._

 _"No! P-please! I'm begging you! Just stop already!" the man cried. He was a government official, I believed, a minor one but one that still apparently deserved to die._

 _A gunshot rang out, and then the victim started screaming again, luckily masking the sound of my gasp. I've lost count of the amount of times he'd been shot._

 _"Tie him together," he commanded with no remorse at all. His men got the cords out, wrapping the man's wrists to his ankles as he continued to cry out in agony. And then there was more screaming. The sounds of a chainsaw could be heard over the cries. I shut my eyes shut and covered my ears in an attempt to block out all of the noise. They were laughing and laughing as if this was some game._

"Miss. Hanson? Juliet? Juliet, are you alright?" the doctor asked worriedly, looking at me. Gripping the edge of my cardigan, I managed to stop my lips from trembling and give him a faint smile.

"I'm fine. I'm fine. Keep your eyes on the road, doctor. Wouldn't want another accident now, would we?" I laughed shakily.

"Juliet, are you sure you're okay? You look like you'd just seen a ghost."

"Believe me, I'm fine, really! Anyway, do they always do that?"

Dr. Cullen glanced at me again, obviously concerned. "I don't believe I know what you're talking about."

"The women in the hospital, do they always gawk at you? Doesn't it get annoying?" The doctor thankfully moved on from what happened on moments ago, pausing before answering, but I could tell he still wasn't convinced that I was fine.

"I supposed I've gotten used to it… but my kids still do get slightly embarrassed when we're out in public." _Kids._ He had kids? The man looked so young though!

"I've been told that many times, but I'm older than I look." I gave him an estranged look. Shit, did I really just say what I was thinking out loud? "No worries. Contrary to what you probably believe, I just turned 31 earlier this year." Just when I thought this man could no longer surprise me, he came out with this. "But I thank you for making an old man feel young," he grinned.

"31 really isn't that old…" I mumbled. No, it was _only_ almost a decade older than me. "So all those women still go after you even though you're married?" I blurted out before I could stop it. _Who was the invasive one now?_

"I'm not married. Which is exactly why those women can't take no for an answer," he chuckled. "I adopted my children, all five of them."

"That's incredible," I remarked, noticing how he got the part where he was single across quite clearly.

"It's much easier than you think considering they're all teenagers. Now, enough about me, I'd like to learn more about you, Miss. Hanson. What really brought you here to Forks?" A breath caught in my throat. He suspected me. He knew I was lying yesterday. My heart began to thunder, making me wonder whether he could hear it too.

"Like I said to Chief Swan yesterday, I just wanted a change in scenery."

"I think we both know that isn't really reason why you came here," he said it so blatantly, a part of me started to believe that he already knew. Was this ride his way of getting me to confess?

"Is this why you offered to drive me home? So you can get information out of me?" I demanded. Hurt and anger was evident in my voice. How could I've easily been fooled like that? I should've listened to my instincts instead for falling for the doctor's charms.

"No," he ran a hand through his thick hair with a sigh. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you that, but you must understand that I didn't ask you to come with me because I wanted information. No, it's not like that at all. Although I'm sure that you are perfectly capable of getting home yourself, I wanted to make sure that you were safe before I had to let you go _forever_ ," Dr. Cullen said in a small voice I don't think I've ever heard him use before. His hands gripped the steering wheel so hard I thought he would break it.

There was nothing for me to say. I was, more or less to say, confused beyond belief. What was I supposed to think? One moment I feel like he's going to kidnap and kill me and the next moment he can be as kind and charming as a prince from a fairytale. This wasn't Cinderella, though. Happy endings didn't exist when it came to someone like me. Broken. There was no prince I could or would run off with.

"Please look at me," he spoke again in that soft-spoken voice once we were in my driveway. I diverted my gaze away from the window and towards him. His dark eyes… they looked so sad all of a sudden and full of the pain I remembered from the first day I met him. "I want you to promise me that you'll be careful. Don't be afraid to call me if you ever need help," he slipped me a piece of paper with his number on it into my hand. There was more he wanted to say, but I cut him off before he could say anything else.

"Thanks," I said dryly. I got out of the car and got my stuff out from the back seats. Before I started walking towards the front door, another thought hit me.

"How did you know where I live?" I asked before he left.

His lips curled into a sad smile. "I live next door." And just when I thought I was rid of him.

"I see…" and with that, I walked towards the front door, watching as he drove down the driveway and up in front of the house to my right. Through the thicket of trees, I could see the almost-orange and black house boasted many windows. It was fairly large compared to the simple one-story home I'd rented. Why did it matter so much that he was better off than I was?

Looking at the phone number in my hand, I tore the paper to shreds and watched the little pieces fly away in the wind.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Aside from my own characters in this story, everything else related to** ** _Twilight_** **belongs to Stephanie Meyer. If you like my story so far, don't forget to follow, favorite, and/or leave a review!**

Today had been a productive day to say none the least. I'd gotten an interview with the local high school for a teaching job thanks to degree I managed to get last year. Though, the only problem was still actually getting a ride to the interview in time. I checked the calendar on my phone. It's been five days since Dr. Cullen dropped me off here, so the little lunch I had at the hospital ended up being my last meal. The nearest grocery store was seven miles away and I wasn't willing to walk that far or leave my stuff unattended for that long.

The house I rented was sparsely furnished and relatively small, especially if compared to the one next door. It had only the bare necessities but not that it mattered to me. My plans weren't to stay here long anyway.

A knuckle rapped against the front door and I stopped at the top of the stairs where I wasn't visible. One would think the person would leave if I didn't answer, but the knocking persisted.

"Miss. Hanson, I know you're in there," Dr. Cullen's calm voice called out and my eyes widened to the size of saucers. What did he want with me? I was so sure that I would never have to interact with him ever again. With a deep breath, I opened the front door and flashed a fake smile that should've fooled anybody, yet I could never be so sure with this man. He stood against the doorway with his arms crossed looking cool and collected like always.

"Dr. Cullen. Can I help you?" Short, simple, and straight to the point. I was in no mood to play games today.

"Miss. Hanson," he nodded at me. "You never came to the hospital to have your stitches removed today."

I completely forgot about that. Inwardly groaning, I tried to make some feeble excuse to close the door but as it was shutting, he stuck his foot in between and pushed the door opened again.

"I believe this is what they call forced entry," I said, clenching my jaws.

Dr. Cullen looked at me intently. "Unless you plan on removing them yourself, which I forbid because God only knows you'll end up hurting yourself some more, then I suggest you come to the hospital to get them removed as soon as possible."

"Or what?" I challenged him. Unless he bribed me or threw me over his shoulder and drove to the hospital, I was not willing to leave.

"Then I believe I will simply have to take you to my home if you're so hell-bent on not going anywhere, my dear."

I eyed him suspiciously. "Kidnapping is against the law."

"It wouldn't be considered kidnap if you agreed to come. Would you like to have dinner with me?" Although it was completely abrupt, was it bad to admit that I was actually considering his incentive? My stomach growled so loud at the mention of food, I'm positive he was able to hear it. "It's an offer I won't allow you to refuse. I know you haven't been able to go anywhere and I can't imagine that the refrigerator was originally stocked with food. I will not let my new neighbor starve to death. That would be awfully rude of me."

"I'd rather not bother your family," I replied briskly.

Dr. Cullen shook his head. "I assure you, you won't be a bother to anyone. I will make sure of that." My stomach growled again and I forced myself to agree. There was no other choice.

 **~oxOXOxo~**

The doctor walked up the pathway towards his house with me trailing him like a lost puppy. It'd been a long time since I was invited into someone's home, nonetheless for dinner. I'd been keeping a distance from society, but suddenly everything changed when Dr. Cullen entered my life. It was like I couldn't seem to say no to the man. There was something about him that screamed danger to me, yet I couldn't help but start feeling somewhat safer near him. As I entered the house, the smell of pasta wafted out towards me.

"It seems Alice has done me the favor of cooking tonight. I hope spaghetti is fine with you?" he asked, guiding me up the stairs with a hand on my back. I gave him a small smile in reply when a blur of black hair appeared in front of me. I tensed up immediately.

"Oh! I'm sorry, did I scare you?" she asked me with sincerity.

I shook my head. "No, it's fine. I was just surprised." I replied, giving her a strangled smile. Meanwhile, I took a good look at her. She looked like the living Snow White. It was strangely eerie. Her eyes were dark but almost an amber color. She possessed many similarities to her father despite that she was adopted. Did this entire family hold the looks of a god?

"Alice, I'd like you to meet our new neighbor, Miss. Juliet Hanson. Miss. Hanson, this is my youngest daughter, Alice," Dr. Cullen introduced the two of us.

The pixie-like girl beamed at her father. "Dad, I left the tomato sauce on a simmer. I hope you don't mind if I do homework upstairs as you entertain our guest for tonight?" Even though she was adopted, I could see that Alice loved her father immensely. I suppose I was once like that when my mother announced that she was getting remarried. The guy had been well on his way to becoming senator in Seattle. He was charismatic, friendly, but it'd all been one huge lie once he finally got the job.

"Come," Dr. Cullen motioned me to the table and I sat down in a chair. "Make yourself at home." He brought out the cutlery and set a plate down. For the next couple minutes as he finished preparing the food, all I could do was sit and awkwardly marvel at… well, _everything_. This situation was interesting nonetheless. I was beginning to feel more grateful and calmer, but the paranoia was still overwhelming. It was probably just me, but there was something off about Dr. Cullen and his daughter. I hadn't met his other kids yet, but if they were all this perfect then there had to be something shady going on with this family. I would not dwell on it, though. He had his secrets, I had mine.

"Would you like something to drink? A glass of wine, perhaps?" he asked, reeling me back to reality.

"No thank you. Water will be fine." I didn't drink. I'd seen what it had done to _him_ , what he'd done. I did not want to become like that– a lunatic, a psychopath, a _murderer_. The effects he had on me were indescribable. It was like I had no choice but to agree to everything he demanded. I'd been too scared to face him on my own. I was a coward.

"Here we go," Dr. Cullen brought out the salad and freshly made spaghetti. The smell was divine. He scooped some of the pasta onto my plate and poured the sauce on top. The food was mouthwatering to look at. He sat down across from me.

"Are you not going to eat?" I asked skeptically. For one thing, it would be rude to eat by myself in his house and secondly, why wouldn't he eat if he invited me here? "How awfully impolite of you considering you invited me here for dinner," I suddenly said. Why was I feeling so talkative all of a sudden? It was odd.

"Technically, this was an incentive for me to remove you stitches. You're clever. I'm sure you've figured that out by now." Ah, I'd forgotten about that. "In any case, I'd already eaten a small meal before you came here, my apologies. I hope this doesn't make you uncomfortable?" I shook my head and slowly started to eat the food. My initial apprehension quickly disappeared with every bite I took.

"Dr. Cullen–" I started.

"Carlisle," he simply stated. I shot him a confused look. "Please, call me Carlisle. There is no need for the formalities here, _Juliet_." Carlisle. I thought about it for a moment. That was such a strange name. I said it aloud, listening to how his name rolled off my tongue.

"Carlisle, why did you do all this?" I motioned around us. "I mean, I don't think doctors normally invite their patients to join them for dinner. You say I'm the enigma, but then I'm not the only one apparently. You're hiding something too, so why the sudden interest in me?" I stared into his eyes, searching for possible answers. They were a different shade than what I remembered in the hospital, almost a dark gold instead of the pitch black. Had it been the lighting or have I officially gone crazy? The unease dissipated and was replaced with genuine curiosity. Sure, I was the girl that mysteriously showed up in town but that didn't make me any special.

His gaze landed on me. "I'm afraid I don't seem to quite know the answer to that question. Let's just say there's something drawing me to you." He sat back in the chair and placed an arm on the table comfortably. "You seem like an innocent person inside. I don't want anything to change that. I'm trying to keep you away from trouble."

I swirled my fork into the pasta and brought it to my mouth, savoring the flavor of each bite while absorbing Carlisle's answer. I wanted to feel confusion at this man's perplexity and straight-up weirdness, but at his lingering gaze on me, all I could feel was the heat rushing to my cheeks. Nothing in the world could make me understand why I this was happening. I looked up at Carlisle's face, now noticing all the details that made him look handsome. The slight curl on his lip, the way his normally slicked back hair was now more disheveled because he was at home, the sparkle in his dark gold eyes, _everything._ Why was I feeling like this? Wasn't I suspicious and cynical about this family only a moment before?

Carlisle closes his eyes for a moment and let out a small sigh. "Jasper, please stop." Jasper? _"Who the hell is Jasper?"_ I thought when a guy with a mop of blond hair came out from around the corner. He looked only a couple years younger than me, and that was when it hit just how old these "kids" were.

"Sorry dad," Jasper said with a hint of a southern accent, staring intently at me as if I was a piece of meat. Like his father and Alice, he had the same freaky eyes and pale skin. Suddenly, all the previous emotions I'd been feeling were swept away and replaced with the uncertainty and suspicion again. I nervously started to bounce my leg underneath the table.

"Juliet, this is one of my sons, Jasper," Carlisle introduced us, standing up and putting an arm around his son. Looking at Carlisle, it was obvious to a keen eye that all was not well between the two. Carlisle looked a bit more strained the moment his son walked in.

"A pleasure to meet you," Jasper drawled.

I eyed him testily as I did with his sister. "Nice to meet you too." A surge of anger passed through me but disappeared as quickly as it came. I glanced up at Carlisle.

"Jasper," he started slowly. "Why don't you and Alice take a walk outside? I'm sure some fresh air will be beneficial to the both of you." Jasper gave a strained nod and rushed off. Had I done something wrong? Carlisle looked down at me with a weary smile. "Would you like some more pasta, or are you full?" My plate was empty by now. I hadn't even noticed that I'd eaten everything. I was definitely full, but I knew the subsided hunger would come back by tomorrow. How long would I be able to ignore the fact that I had no means of transportation or food? It's not like I would be able to leach off of the Cullen's for very long.

"I'm good, thank you. It was delicious," I replied regrettably. Carlisle presented a teasing smile and offered his hand.

"It was my pleasure. I wouldn't exactly be the gentleman everyone believes me to be if I let you starve, now would it? Come, I believe we have some business to finish."

I glared at his outstretched hand and stood abruptly. If he was trying to dazzle me with his charming antics, he would have to try harder than that. There was only so much trust I could offer a person in a day.

 **~oxOXOxo~**

As I followed him through the multitudes of halls in his house, Carlisle's inquisitive look did not escape my notice.

"Find something interesting?" I asked distastefully. He smiled to himself and quickly shook his head.

"Considering your angst and dislike for me, I never thought I would see you again, nonetheless walking in my home." He led me into what I presumed to be his office. The room had a high-ceiling and was lined with countless amounts of books. Where there was space, I could see the dark paneling of the walls. In a corner, there was a large mahogany desk with a leather chair behind it. A gasp emitted from me before I could stop it. Books. There were so many books! Ignoring Carlisle, I stopped in the middle of his office and looked around for a moment. The library had the classics to contemporary and even first editions from what I could tell. All I wanted to do was to run my hands over all of them, get lost in the thousands of pages, and read each and every last one in this room until there was nothing left. Behind me, there was a wall of framed paintings varying in sizes and colors. Quickly, I scanned the wall in search of a common connection between the paintings. There was nothing. Perhaps Carlisle just had a thing for pretty paintings. When I was examining the peculiar art, Carlisle brought out the tools he needed to remove my stitches. I hadn't notice him gazing me as I admired everything in his office.

He had me sit on top of his desk while preparing everything. In the meantime, I looked around some more. Like his office in the hospital, there were no pictures of his family or anything that would've signified that he even had one. Was this man this private even in his own home?

"Can you roll your sleeves up for me please?" I tugged up the sleeves and Carlisle pulled out my forearm, sending me recoiling. What the hell? His fingers were freezing to the touch. "My apologies. My hands tend to get cold no matter what the temperature is I'm afraid." He started the procedure once again. I cringed at the sight of the tools going near my skin and gripped the hem of my cardigan tight enough that my knuckles started turning white.

"Don't look," Carlisle said. I averted my eyes and stared into his golden ones. "So tell me, what have you been up to these past few days?"

I tried not to focus on the tweezers pulling the thread out. "Nothing important seeing how there's nothing for me to do. In the meantime, I did get an interview with the local high school for a teaching job," I sighed. His eyes seemed to light up when I mentioned the interview.

"Ah, I never imagined you to be the teaching type."

"Well, you've only just met me recently, so it's hardly a surprise you wouldn't know much about me." I said sarcastically and thought for a moment. "Yeah, I guess I don't exactly seem like a teacher, do I? I just loved books and writing as a kid and it kind of just stuck with me for the rest of my life. It was a way to escape reality and I wanted to spread that escape to everyone else who needs it. Sorry, it's a pretty cheesy goal," I looked down sheepishly at my dangling feet, yet when I looked back up, there was a smile playing on Carlisle's lips. Although I was supposed to be distant from him, it was impossible to stop me from talking about what I loved most.

"Not at all, my darling. I find it wonderful that someone can have such passion for what they love most. It's what makes the little things in life so special. Life is so short that I believe that anyone should spend the most of it doing what makes them happiest. After all, what is the point of life if one can never enjoy it to its fullest potential?" Oh, the ever poetically philosophical doctor and his words of wisdom.

I spent the rest of the time silently musing about what Carlisle said. Up until this point, so much of my life had been spent in fear but was there anything I could do to change its course? My thoughts quickly spiraled back into its depressive state until Carlisle's melodious voice thankfully interjected.

"Do you have any plans this weekend?" he asked, finishing up his careful work. His fingers lingered on my skin, but I hadn't noticed.

I glanced at him curiously. "The interview isn't until Monday and I have no car, so no. No plans whatsoever." If that didn't show that I was bored out of my mind, then I didn't know what did.

Carlisle had the all-knowing smirk on his face. "Well, lucky for you, I so happen to have the day off tomorrow. You told me there's nothing to do here, and you're right," he admitted. "However, I am visiting Port Angeles on Sunday if you'd care to join me."

"Is this a date, Dr. Cullen?" I challenged him, scrunching up my eyebrows. I didn't know what else to say. _No_ would've been a definite answer a couple days ago, but the doctor had me intrigued after our–more like my– dinner. We both had much to find out about one another. Was I willing to let down the walls I've held up for so long for one man? He had somehow captivated me with his air of mystery; I couldn't deny it any longer. Though, it scared me. I wasn't supposed to make friends here. That wasn't the original plan. _"What can one little trip hurt? It's not like anyone will find you,"_ my subconscious told me.

"It is if you want it to be," he smirked again.

"Ask me again tomorrow," I suddenly said. A look of bewilderment and apprehension appeared on his handsome face.

"Tomorrow?"

I nodded. "Because tomorrow, I may just say yes to your offer, Dr. Cullen." His eyes lit up again like a child being given candy. It was funny how what I said could bring out so many different emotions from him, even if they were subtle.

"Tomorrow it is then. I expect an answer from you, Juliet." He helped me off the desk and led me to the front door. The sun had already painted its beautiful reds and deep oranges across the darkening sky: a masterpiece deserving to be placed along with the others in Carlisle's office. It was a view I didn't always get to see.

"I am looking forward to your answer, my dear. Do you need me to walk you back home?" his offer was sweet, but I'd had enough of Carlisle tonight. I was fully capable of walking a couple hundred feet despite how fragile he thought of me.

"I'm a big girl, Carlisle. I can walk home by myself you know." He gave a small chuckle as he let me out. The sun shined on his hair, making it more gold than ever. Kindness reflected off his face and for a moment, I felt like I was seeing something that was rare. As much as it frustrated me, I was slowly opening up to him. Cracks in my wall were forming.

"Until tomorrow then." I walked down the drive way with him watching me from the distance. By the time I reached the door, I already knew what I was going to say to him tomorrow.

 **A/N: Thank you for all the positive feedback so far! I just started school again yesterday, so the next couple chapters may take longer.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Aside from my own characters in this story, everything else related to** ** _Twilight_** **belongs to Stephanie Meyer. If you like my story so far, don't forget to follow, favorite, and/or leave a review!**

 _By the time I reached the door, I already knew what I was going to say to him tomorrow._

Yes.

 **~oxOXOxo~**

" _This is not a date. Repeat, this is not a date."_ I told myself multiple times. Then why did I feel so zealous about meeting Carlisle? Butterflies fluttered about my stomach. This was ridiculous; were two people of the opposite sex not able to go out without being considered a date? I was not a hormonal teenager anymore. My brain was betraying me.

Carlisle had come knocking on my day two days ago like I told him the day before that. I opened the door and he stood there dressed in a tight-fitting sweater and a pair of dark loose jeans. His blonde locks were messier than his usually slicked back hair I noticed.

"Dr. Cu- I mean Carlisle," I corrected myself quickly. I was still not used to calling the doctor by his first name, but then again I didn't normally socialize enough to reach a first name bases with many people. At my slip of the tongue, Carlisle's grin seemed to grow wider.

"Good evening, Juliet. Do you happen to have an answer for me?" Someone was quite eager for my response I could see. I smiled to myself for having the upper hand over this man for once.

"Perhaps I do, but judging by your expression I'm sure you already know what I'm going to say." I smirked and leaned against the doorframe with my arms crossed.

"You are a clever, playful little thing, aren't you? My preference would be for you to agree to accompany me, but only if you wish to. I will not force you to come with me if you refuse. So if you would please enlighten me with a response, then I can perhaps figure out whether my efforts to pursue you have been in vain thus far."

"You talk like you're an old man, Carlisle. Not surprising considering you're like a billion years old compared to little me," I teased him.

"Miss. Hanson," Carlisle warned. He put on a serious face but I could tell he was amused from the attempt at hiding a smile. "Am I to whisk you away once again in order for you to agree with me?" I let out a laugh and put my hands up. I couldn't recall the last time I felt this at ease. With everything going on, the only thing that was on my focus were the Shadowmen until I met Carlisle.

"Back to last names now, are we? Well because you are being so adamant, I suppose I have no other choice but to say yes to you, Dr. Cullen."

There were ten minutes left till Carlisle was to pick me up. I was running out of clothes to wear, so I chose to throw on a pair of jeans and sweater and hoped that Carlisle didn't bring me anywhere remotely formal. Looking at my reflection in the one mirror in this house, I chuckled to myself. Remembering what Carlisle normally wore, the chances of me matching with him were pretty high. To kill time, my fingers started to braid my dark hair as my mother taught me when I was younger. Her death felt like such a long time ago despite it happening only a couple years earlier. So many things had happened since then and it was my entire fault. If I hadn't left her, if I had stuck with her like I promised, none of this would've happened. Would this chase ever end for me? Carlisle was proving to be a great distraction but what happens when I had to run again? There was no way to simply drop everything if I was establishing relationships in Forks. Speaking of Carlisle, I couldn't stop thinking my association with him would put him and his family in danger. Port Angeles was crowded enough for a Shadowman to be crawling around somewhere. I doubted there would be anything for me to worry too much about but instincts told me otherwise.

A knock came at my door right on time and I hurriedly stood up to open the door for Carlisle, untangling my hair at the same time.

"Juliet, it's good to see you again," Carlisle blessed me with another one of his million dollar smiles that seriously deserved to be in movies just so the other girls of America could swoon over him. Mentally snorting, I reminded myself that that would end up being some sort of cruel punishment for someone as private as Carlisle. Making a quick glance at his outfit– A jacket, jeans, dress shirt, and his signature scarf– I breathed a sigh of relief. Not only would it have been cheesy, it also would've been extremely awkward if we were to end up matching.

"Ready for our not-date?" I asked and instantly wanted to slap myself. Why did I seem to spit out anything that came to mind around him? Please don't tell me my cheeks were reddening, that was the last thing I wanted for him to see.

"Only if you are, my dear." He offered out an arm and I tentatively took it and walked towards the black Mercedes-Benz I grew accustomed to seeing. We started driving out of the small town once I assured him that yes, I was comfortable and that he needed to stop fretting over me. I was not a patient in the hospital anymore and God forbid I would be ever again.

"So where exactly will we be going in Port Angeles?" I asked him.

"It's a surprise," he replied and I nearly face palmed myself at his predictable answer.

"Of course it is," I muttered under my breath. "Just letting you know that I'm not a big fan of surprises, so this better be one hell of a trip." _Even if I had nothing better to do at the house._

"I'm only playing with you. If I'm to be honest here, this trip was more for me to discover more about you and less about errands, so you will be dictating where this car will take us, aside from little stops I need to make here and there of course." I'd only been to Port Angeles once, and I didn't even stay that long when I was there. How was I supposed to know where to go or what we could do? This most definitely was _not_ a date.

 **~oxOXOxo~**

Traffic was hell.

Even for a weekend, it was pretty bad on the interstate. It was like everyone in the surrounding area was as keen as Carlisle and I on visiting Port Angeles. After telling me that I was the one coming up with today's agenda, a moment of awkward silence came between us which somehow morphed into small talk and quickly transformed into a deep conversation about Carlisle's experiences as a doctor.

"No way! There is no way on earth that could've ever happened!" I exclaimed.

"I assure you, it really did happen. I don't even think I'd be capable of coming up with a story as ludicrous as that!" Carlisle laughed along with me.

"So you're telling me that a woman walks into the ER at two in the morning complaining of stomach aches and indigestion, you guys take some x-rays and find a bunch of deflated balloons, only to find out it's actually nearly a pound and a half of cocaine in her stomach?"

"It was unbelievable. I almost didn't believe it myself until we did an emergency surgery and found about 75 little packets of cocaine hidden inside the balloons."

"That's insane. Did you ever find out what she was planning on doing with all the drugs?"

"The police arrested her after she recovered from surgery. We found out she'd had the cocaine ingested while she was in Honduras in order to smuggle back to the United States and later Canada. After some investigation, the police traced the woman to the Shadows, ending what was once the gang's largest drug rings," Carlisle said. I grinned at him, but the wheels in my head were turning. This happened all in New York. I knew the Shadows grew fast, but had it really reached the other side of the country? It was known that they preferred to stay on the west coast. I suppose they were bound to stretch some point to somewhere as crowded as New York, yet it never dawned on me that I really had nowhere to run. Not until now, that is.

If Carlisle's mission was to learn more about me, he was doing a bad job of it. All we'd talk about so far was him, not that I'm complaining. I was careful enough with my words that nothing of my past slipped out. Hell, I probably knew more about his past now than he did mine.

We soon arrived at downtown Port Angeles and Carlisle told me to keep an eye out for anything that interested me as he looked for a parking spot. Though, a quick change of plans were made when he heard my stomach growl _again._ We drove down E Front Street and pulled into the front of Chestnut Cottage Restaurant at Carlisle's recommendation. He got out of the car and came over to open the door for me at the speed of light.

"That was fast," I remarked. "I didn't even you see walk over."

"It is my job to be fast, even if the ER in Forks can be quite dead some times," Carlisle said, leading me into the restaurant. As we entered, the aroma of eggs and burgers washed over me and the quiet buzz of chatter filled the air. The restaurant was quite quaint with the décor reminding me of a grandma's kitchen. Cozy was the word for it. A waitress sat us down at our table when she finally stopped ogling at Carlisle where the two of us picked up the conversation once more.

"Don't forget, your job is also to save lives which, from what I heard and saw during my time in the hospital, you do very well. Do not undermine yourself, Carlisle; hundreds of people probably owe their lives to you from what you told me in the car. Kind of like a superhero, except with a pristine white coat instead of a cape," I said with the slight hint of a smile.

"A doctor in disguise? That sounds very intriguing, I must say. And what would this doctor's super powers be?" Carlisle humored my childish whims.

"Obviously, he'd have to have some sort of healing power, maybe x-ray vision, enhanced vision for super complicated surgeries… You're the doctor; is there anything else I seem to be missing?"

We went on like that for a while until the waitress came back again to ask for our orders, to which I had to shamefully ask for some more time because I was too busy being entertained by Carlisle. Though, I don't exactly think she minded due to the lingering stares Carlisle received from her. When I asked him what he was getting, he told me he wasn't hungry. Thankfully, I brought money along but like the gentleman he is, Carlisle declined my offer to pay for the meal. My plan to avoid being in his debt went down the drain as he insisted to pay and in the end I was forced to swallowed what little pride I had left and agree. I swear, no one could ever say no to that man.

The waitress came back and asked for our order one last time. At last, I just told Carlisle to order whatever for me seeing as he probably knew this place better than I.

"She'll have the fruited Belgian waffles topped with blackberries and a side of ice cream. Also, make sure there are no peanuts in anything. Thank you."

"Is that all?" she seemed annoyed that I was the only one getting food until Carlisle flashed a smile at her, appeasing the girl instantly.

I stared curiously at the man across from me, who in back stared intently at me once our waitress left. My head cocked to one side as the corner of his mouth slowly slid up into a sly smirk. I couldn't manage my straight face and soon fell to the clutches of a wolfish grin.

"You made sure to tell her no peanuts… How did you know about my peanut allergy?" I asked. I never told him about it, yet he seemed to know. Not only that, he also knew to get the ice cream rather than whipped cream.

Carlisle seemed to falter at the question, "I remembered seeing it on your medical records when you were still in the hospital." His answer somehow surprised me, and not in a good way.

"I would prefer if you asked me directly for that sort of information next time," I muttered. "Especially as those records are not for you to use for your pleasure." The way my personal information was violated reminded me too much of the way the Shadows worked.

"I know. It was a complete abuse of my powers and I apologize for that. I wasn't sure whether you had an EpiPen with you and didn't want to take the risk," he explained, his eyes pleading for forgiveness. I just nodded, reminding myself how this was Carlisle Cullen and not a Shadowman.

The waffles arrived and I attacked the food with my knife and fork. Carlisle simply sat wordlessly and chuckled at me.

"What are you looking at?" I demanded.

Carlisle shook the smirk off his face yet still remained amused by something. He leaned back in his chair and replied, "Nothing. Are you enjoying the food?"

I snorted, "What do you think? The ice cream was a nice touch."

"I'm glad I ordered it then. As endearing as it is, don't look so confused. I only noticed you looked at the dessert section first when we got the menus." My cheeks grew warmer in what I could only guess was me blushing while my lips tightened in defeat. _God damn it._ Carlisle's eyes lit up as if he'd won something and I _almost_ bit back my snarky response.

"Don't look so happy just yet. That's only one out of another billion things about me."

"And I plan to learn each and every single one of those things," he replied. Nothing I ever said, no matter how insulting or scathing, seemed to ever faze him. It infuriated me and I did not know why. Why should anything this man ever do annoy me so much? It wasn't like he was anyone that mattered. There were more important things to worry and frustrate over anyway.

 **~oxOXOxo~**

Lunch came to a conclusion and we headed off towards another section of Port Angeles. Carlisle wouldn't give me a solid answer to my constant ' _where are we going?'_ despite the car ride being only a couple minutes.

Thunderbird and Whale Bookstore. Not that I was complaining, but what were we doing at a book store?

I gave Carlisle a knowing look he was probably used to by now and he simply shrugged and replied, "One of my little errands. You can come if you wish." That was all he needed to say, as I was soon bolting out of the car and into the store along with him. Although it was considerably smaller than most bookstores I've been too, it was obvious to a trained eye– or someone obsessed with books like me– that the store had just as much, if not a better selection than something like Barnes and Noble. Already I could see the faded titles of classics through the multitudes of yellowing pages on the shelves.

"Hello, there. How can I help a lovely couple like you two today?" a woman asked from behind the counter to my right. She had a bright smile on her face and from the amount of white hair on her head, I guessed her age to be around the mid-seventies to early-eighties. However, at the mention of 'couple' my cheeks grew warm and I heard Carlisle snicker from besides me. Giving a swift elbow to his gut, I basically sprinted off to the corner of thee store, leaving Carlisle to deal with the store clerk. Only when I reached the back I realized the throbbing pain that now resided within my elbow. To my horror, the words ' _abs of steel'_ briefly flashed through my mind. I rid the thought as fleetingly as it came to my head, convincing myself that I had just hit something else.

How had my standpoint on Carlisle changed so much in such a short time? I went from resenting him to actually liking him in a matter of days. From the charm, charisma, looks, even style, he had everything– a perfect family, the perfect job, no wonder everyone seemed to like him. He was my personal distraction and my constant reminder of what I didn't and couldn't have. A soft sigh left my lips and a body brushed against mine. I flinched and looked towards the person, realizing it was only the man I'd been thinking about for the past couple minutes now.

"Did you find something you like?" Carlisle asked, completely oblivious to how I nearly jumped a foot into the air when he passed me. I scanned the shelf in front of me and my arm instinctively reached out for the familiar title: Mary Shelley's _Frankenstein_.

The corner of Carlisle's lips curled up in approval. " _Frankenstein_ , a classic. Have you read it?"

I was nearly offended at the question. "Of course!" I scoffed. "It's actually a favorite of mine," I added softly, ignoring that I gave him yet another piece of information about me.

"Really?"

I rolled my eyes, "Don't act so surprised. It was no doubt my favorite book all throughout high school. I guess I was drawn towards the darker tones of the story from the start and then I suddenly found myself unable to put the book down. Media has turned the creature into a monster, and I suppose in some cases he is. But in reality, it was Dr. Frankenstein that made the creature. I hated both characters for what they did but also sympathized and empathized in certain situations with both of them. Victor wants to be known. He's dedicated to his work and wants fame and glory, yet abandons the creation the moment he sees it rise for the first time. Looking deeper, I believe Victor was almost afraid of responsibility, especially as he barely took care of himself and essentially leads his family to their demise.

Meanwhile, the creature is left alone and is forced to fend for himself. The moments of kindness he receives are brief because _he isn't wanted_. The creature is lonely and wants to be good but simply makes bad decisions because he believes it to be the only way to get what he deserves. Overall, he's stripped of his voice from Victor's point of view, making him seem like a monster. There's one part where the creature says something along the lines of, '" _I could not conceive how one man could go forth to murder his fellow, or even why there are laws and governments; but when I heard the details of vice and bloodshed, my wonder ceased, and I turned away with disgust and loathing_ (Shelley 139-140)."' The quote shows that he isn't essentially bad but mostly a bit misunderstood, I would say. Sorry, I kind of ended up rambling," I mumbled sheepishly much to Carlisle's apparent surprise.

"No, don't be. That was just… I'm absolutely speechless right now." His dark amber eyes were lit up for reasons I couldn't understand.

I shyly scratched the back of my neck, "Yeah, I tend to go a bit crazy with the things I'm passionate about." I could've gone on a whole other lecture on _Lord of the Flies_ and how that could connect with _Frankenstein_ , but thankfully stopped in time.

Placing the book back on the shelf, I finally noticed the wrapped packages tucked neatly within the crook of Carlisle's arm. Both were the size of a book but the wrapping gave no indication of what the titles were.

"If you're done here, we can leave," I offered, suddenly feeling bad for taking up his time.

"I won't stop you if you'd like to spend more time here; especially since you seem to be enjoying it very much. It brings out a side I don't normally get to see from you," Carlisle smirked. We would've spent who knows how long here if I hadn't shook my head, grabbed his freezing hand, and marched us out the exit.

 **A/N: Part two of this chapter will be coming within two-ish weeks? Like before, thank you so much for such positive reviews and all of the favorites and follows! I'm so happy everyone is enjoying the story**

 **aelita444: I'm glad you noticed that last chapter! From what I remember, Jasper always had difficulty adjusting to the Cullen's diet and even had trouble meeting Bella for the first time, so I figured Juliet would be no different. Of course Carlisle would never let anything happen her though~**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Aside from my own characters in this story, everything else related to** ** _Twilight_** **belongs to Stephanie Meyer. If you like my story so far, don't forget to follow, favorite, and/or leave a review!**

 **I'd already had over half of this chapter written when I posted the last one, so I decided to post this a week early!**

The rest of the day was somehow filled with us visiting a local modern art gallery where we attempted to interpret every piece we came across. We started off seriously at first but needless to say, due to my lack of art knowledge and his preference of traditional art, we soon ended up making up ridiculous stories about the art itself. By then, it was getting late and I was whisked off to Bella Italia for dinner. Like the Chestnut Cottage Restaurant, it had a cozy ambiance and was decorated with cute, yet cheesy, Italian themed knick knacks scattered around the restaurant.

"A table for two, please," Carlisle requested. The blonde waitress that'd been gazing dreamily at him suddenly turned and shot me a cold glare before weaving us through the crowded restaurant and to our table. If this was how girls were treated around him, I suddenly felt bad for any real date of his. The waitress flashed us a saccharine smile, handing us the menus and telling us her name before strutting off once again to seat more people.

Italian music played softly in the background with the pleasant guitar strums resonating through the entire restaurant. The lights were dimmed but the small lamps at each table cast a warm glow across the crimson walls. ' _Not a date… Not a date,'_ I continued to tell myself. I hid my face behind the menu, hoping it was dim enough that Carlisle couldn't notice the ever growing blush. When I finally put the menu back down, Carlisle was sitting forward with an expression I hadn't seen on him before. I shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. Tempted to demand what he was staring at like earlier today, I opened my mouth but was promptly interrupted by our waitress, otherwise known as Ashley.

"Have you guys decided what you want yet?"

Carlisle put his hands up. "I'm not getting anything," he said and my eyebrows shot up.

"What do you mean you're not getting anything? You haven't eaten anything all day!" I turned towards the waitress who looked like she was two seconds away from throwing her notepad and pen at me for making this harder for her. "I'll have the Espresso Smoked Duck; Carlisle you _will_ eat something," I commanded with as much authority I could muster up.

Something must have told him I wasn't kidding because he then took a glance at the menu and ordered the Tuscan Steak, but not without sounding very forced. Of course he was allowed to tell me what to do to the benefit of my health and I wasn't.

"I'm only doing this so you won't die of starvation any time soon," I pointed out after Ashley left with our orders.

"You were quite convincing."

"Yeah, I'm considering calling that my teacher voice. And if you keep eating as you're supposed to, then I won't have to use it on you anymore."

"I should be telling you the same thing, Ms. Hanson." There it was again. Aside from formalities, he seemed to only call me by that whenever he tried to be serious with me. Otherwise it was normally "my dear," "my darling," or simply "Juliet." The terms of affection rolled off his tongue as easily as my name did. Perhaps it was wishful thinking or lack of attention, but I hadn't seen him use them with anyone else. Oh, what did it matter? He wasn't interested in me in _that_ way. Why would he? He was intelligent, successful, compassionate… There were not many things wrong with him that I could point out. I was far below him. No one would want to be caught up with my problems anyway.

"So what did you get from the bookstore today that was so important, you had to go all the way out here to get it?" I changed the subject.

"Ah, that is a gift for someone very special to me. I'm not sure whether she'll like it though."

 _Oh_.

Carlisle definitely wasn't talking about one of his daughters. He would've referred to them by name. It was silly of me to think that Carlisle didn't have his eyes set on someone.

"What is she like? Perhaps I could provide some insight through a female's eyes," I was saying before I could stop. Stupid, stupid me!

His eyes lit up again like they did earlier in the bookstore. "I'm still getting to know her, but from what I have seen so far, she's… smart, sharp, considerate. Definitely knows how to keep a man on his toes, and she doesn't judge a book based on its cover."

"Well, I guess it really depends on what books you got her then."

He leaned in towards me and what he said next nearly had me keeling over.

"I got her the original first editions of _Dracula_ and _The Hobbit_ ," he replied. My jaw dropped and my breath caught in my throat. I realized Carlisle was well off, but I hadn't known just how far his finances extended to until now. It was common fact that first editions of those two would have cost well into the thousands.

"W-w-what? How! Oh my God! I'm sure any sane person would appreciate that you spent such a fortune on them! Dear lord, I can't even think properly right now," I stammered. Carlisle was laughing at that point and I envied the girl that was going to receive the gift of a lifetime. Was money really not a big deal for him?

"I really do hope she does."

 **~oxOXOxo~**

Dinner came soon enough and with enough prodding, Carlisle managed to eat a third of his meal. With the amount of pain and disgust shown in every bite, it was actually difficult to watch him eat.

Much to Carlisle's insistence, I ordered some dessert to bring home. All this time I had been worried about running into trouble and it was all for no reason. Had my luck finally turned around? I could never live my life fully if I was constantly looking behind my back, and quite frankly, I was sick of living that way.

"I hope you enjoyed today as much as I did," Carlisle said.

The corners of my mouth turned upwards into a shy smile. "I did, thank you. It seems that I am constantly in your debt no matter how hard I try to stay out of it. If you haven't learned all you wanted about me, is there a chance we could–" The words died on my lips as my night then turned into what I was afraid of most.

Dr. Theodore Blake.

No– this couldn't be happening, yet it was. Ashley was leading him and a woman to a table when I noticed them. The sentence I was about to finish was left hanging in the air as I stared at the man clad from head to toe in black sitting down near us. He turned his head it was only then I could confirm. His graying brown hair was still tapered, his steely blue eyes as cold as ever. When his eyes met mine, his strong jaw clenched.

I couldn't get up fast enough. Throwing a weak excuse about needing to use the restroom at Carlisle, I bolted straight for the bathroom and locked the door upon entering. The sounds of my ragged breathing interspersed within the small space that seemed to become more and more cramped the longer I stood there. My heart thumped against the confines of my chest like a drum and for a moment, I was tempted to break down and cry. My back slid down against the door as I unceremoniously sat on the floor with my head tucked within my arms. I couldn't do this again.

Theodore Blake was one of the many Shadowmen I was unfortunate enough to meet while living in Seattle. Known for his many creative torturing methods, he was used by _the psychopath_ until Blake accidentally killed an important hostage two and a half years ago. The doctor was promptly dropped and using his power as senator, the psychopath made sure to take everything away from Blake. The police received a tip from an "anonymous" source that Blake had been part of one of the King County Killings and although found not guilty, he lost everything. His patients stopped coming to him and he was forced to leave Seattle.

I never thought I would see him again until now.

There was no way to escape. There were no windows in this bathroom and he'd surely see me if I tried to leave. Even then, how far would I get before the psychopath was notified where I was? I had to go on the run again.

I stood up and grabbed the sides of the sink, staring into the mirror. Breathe. I needed to breathe. My lips trembled with every breath I let out. There was no other choice but to face the monster himself. Oh God, how could I let Carlisle get involved? There was no doubt, he'd be in danger now and it was my fault. Unlocking the door, I braced myself for what I was about to face. I couldn't possibly be prepared for what I saw at that moment.

Carlisle was talking with Blake. No… They knew each other? I couldn't believe it. My heart wrenched at the sudden betrayal. I felt pathetic. I shouldn't have let my guard down, especially seeing how it led to this. How could I be so stupid falling for Carlisle's charms? He was using me from the start and I was completely oblivious.

The bastard noticed me and motioned me over. If I ran, both men could overcome me in mere seconds. I staggered over to my table and Carlisle pulled me towards him, wrapping an arm around my waist. He kept an iron grip on me so I wouldn't be able to escape even if I tried.

"There you are, sweetheart!" Carlisle said, placing a chaste kiss to my temple. As he leaned in though, he whispered, "Go along with it," quiet enough only I could hear it. Confused thoughts entered my mind until Blake spoke up.

"Ah, so you're the lucky girl Dr. Cullen's dating. Juliet, it's nice to see you again." And then it dawned on me. Carlisle was my life saver once again.

"Dr. Blake," I nodded back, doing everything to keep my voice from quivering. "I haven't seen you in years. Do you live nearby?" From a quick scan, I couldn't see any possible places for him to conceal a weapon on his willowy body. His dress shirt was too thin and there was no outline within his slacks. Then again, I couldn't be sure.

"I'm afraid not. My wife and I were on our honeymoon in Victoria and figured we'd come down here for a bit," he motioned over to the red-head that was clinging to his arm earlier. I glanced at the woman, noticing the dress she wore left very little to the imagination. Wife? More like personal stripper. "We're only here to buy some things at the local shops." That was absolute bullshit. He wasn't even wearing a wedding ring. No one living in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, or even southern British Columbia could possibly be dumb enough to marry him; his trial was one of the most reported news of the past couple years. Anyone not living under a rock definitely would have heard of Theodore Blake.

It went on like that for a while, meaningless small talk that I would forget later on, but the tension never dispersed. Over time, Carlisle's arm moved from my waist and his hand made its way into mine as if I would be snatched away the moment he let go of me. No matter how hard we tried, we couldn't seem to get away from the monster. Only when Ashley came with a small takeout box with chocolate cake were we able to come up with a legit excuse. Not that it satisfied Blake. Capturing me would've put him back on his pretty pedestal within the Shadows.

"Well Theodore, we better get going now. It was nice seeing you and congratulations again on your new marriage," Carlisle said warmly. Blake's eyes flash with fear before on landing on me.

"Oh, perhaps we could meet up again soon? Where do you currently reside, Juliet? Maybe I could meet you there," he proposed. Blake wasn't being subtle at all, making me question whether he was simply desperate or if my bounty had been raised. My grip on Carlisle's hand tightened and he returned with an encouraging squeeze. " _You can do it,"_ I told myself.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Blake. I'm going to be really busy for the next couple months so you're going to have to take a rain-check. It was nice seeing you though." We hurried out of the restaurant before Blake could put another word in. The sun had set, leaving a starless, pitch-black night sky. Carlisle's Mercedes-Benz was parked a little over four blocks away, but there was almost no one outside at this hour. Everyone was probably eating somewhere. The only audible sound was the wind howling around us. Carlisle removed his hand from mine and I suddenly craved the reassuring feeling his touch gave me. It wasn't gone for long though as his arm went to wrap itself around my waist as if sensing the same feeling of danger I did.

We were around two blocks away from the car when Carlisle forced me to against wall. I gasped at the sudden impact against the brick, dropping the box of cake. His arms were placed on both sides of me so I couldn't escape. The only lights came from the dim streetlamps along the side of the road. Shops were sparse; no one could see us.

My thumping heart hammered against my chest like it did back at the restaurant. I tried to shove him off, but there was no use. There was a wild look in his eyes, a threatening expression I'd never seen on him before. It petrified me almost as much as Blake did. This wasn't the Carlisle I'd gotten to know today. This was a completely different side of him. Who was this man?

"Carlisle, what are you doing?" He leaned in closer until there was barely an inch between our faces. His scent invaded my senses. I could feel his breath on me.

"Theodore Blake. You're terrified of him." Oh no.

I wanted to beg him to not question how I really knew Blake, but nothing would come out. My hands balled up into fists, angry that I couldn't escape, angry that there was no way around his impending question, angry about everything that's led to my constant running.

"Juliet, look at me," he cupped the side of my face and I flinched at the cool touch. "What did he do to you?" I'd been holding the emotions back all night. What _didn't_ he do to me? It was partially his fault I was caught up in all of this! The words I wanted to spit at Carlisle got caught in my throat; my vision was blurring. I hastily did my best to blink back the tears. I would _not_ show any more weaknesses to Carlisle tonight.

"Don't. Don't ask about him. I… I can't. I can't bring you into all of this," I hissed hoarsely back, lips trembling. His intense look softened once I said those words. His hand lingered on my cheek as the thumb brushed over an escaped tear. A streak of lightning flashed across the sky, followed by a loud clap of thunder. I flinched again.

"Juliet," the way he said my name felt like another caress. "Please let me help you. I want to help you, you have to believe me." I wanted to. Truly, I did. But how could I trust someone I met only a week ago? It was foolish of me to go to Port Angeles with him today.

"Carlisle, listen to–" a finger was placed on my lips, effectively shushing me. The panic in his eyes was back yet I couldn't seem to hear anyone or thing.

Then he stooped down to my ear and whispered, "I need you to run when I tell you to." He took a step back and it was then I could hear someone. The footsteps belonged to a male and judging by the faint muttering, it was definitely Blake. I was so caught up on leaving Bella Italia; I hadn't even noticed him following us. Carlisle's hand made its way into mine again and just as Blake turned around the corner Carlisle quickly whispered, "Run!" The two of us broke out into a sprint, chased down the street by Blake. The cake was long forgotten.

"C'mon, you know you can't keep running away forever! I know someone who'd really like to see you again, Juliet!" he called out psychotically.

Bullets whizzed past us. I yelped and ducked as one of them shattered the window of an abandoned building next to me. My boots pounded against the pavement. He had a gun. There was no possible place for him to hide it on his body, unless… Stupid me! His "wife" was carrying a purse– she probably held it for him. I clutched onto Carlisle's hand like a lifeline, trying my best not to look behind me. I panted as we kept running. My lungs were on fire– I couldn't keep running…

"We're almost there. Just a little more, darling," Carlisle said encouragingly. This much running didn't seem to faze him at all. The electric crackle of more lightning reached my ears; the booming of the thunder coming soon after. Raindrops began falling from the night sky and it quickly turned into a downpour.

The familiar Mercedes-Benz came into view and I'd never been happier to see it. With a click of a button, the doors unlocked and I scrambled into the car, not caring that I was probably drenching the seats with my hair. Carlisle turned on the ignition and we propelled past Blake, who aimed the gun at us. He pulled the trigger, but no bullets came flying out. We sped out of the city at over eighty miles per hour and for the first time, I actually didn't care to tell Carlisle to slow down. I sunk back into the seat. It was over. I was safe. I glanced over and noticed the tear in Carlisle's sweater.

"Were you hit?" I exclaimed. I'd been selfish, too busy with my own self to bother noticing whether Carlisle was ok or not. Tears formed in my eyes again. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! This is my fault," I stammered, beginning to hyperventilate.

"Juliet! I'm fine. Calm down. The bullet only grazed my clothes; I'm not hurt. We're safe now, _you're_ safe now."

"You don't understand. He'll find me–" my thoughts were frazzled. The adrenaline had completely worn off, leaving me in a state of terror. I'd been so close to being captured.

 _Finals were in less than a week. I needed to study, but there was an obnoxious sound of chainsaws coming from the basement. There was no way I could focus with that cacophony. What on Earth was going on? Quietly, I snuck out of my room and gently tip-toed down the stairs and reached the door to the forbidden basement. I opened the door far enough where I could peek inside and I would never forget what I saw that moment. Blood. There was blood everywhere. Someone was strapped to a table and above the person was a man holding a chainsaw. A man I recognized as Dr. Theodore Blake, my mother's former doctor. The chainsaw masked the sound of the person's scream and I let out an audible gasp. There was someone else in the room though: my step-father, the new senator of Washington State, otherwise known as Andrew Richards. I thought he'd been in Washington D.C. at the time._

 _Richards noticed me, pulling the door open before I could react._

 _"W-what are you doing? What's h-happening in there?" I stuttered. I tried to make my voice sound confident, but it was obvious I was scared to death._

 _"You're supposed to be in your room," his voice was calm, too calm. He pushed me against the wall where I cowered. "What are you doing here?" he demanded._

 _"Oh, come on Andrew. Let the girl see what her daddy is up to. Perhaps I can teach a thing or two about the art of persuasion," Blake laughed from the table. The man on the table looked over at me. His eyes were pleading for me to save him, but there was nothing I could do. Richards dragged me up the stairs and threw me back into my room as Blake laughed the entire time. He locked the door and I was trapped there until the next night with no escape._

All I could hear was Blake's taunting laugh until Carlisle reached out to hold my hands, which I hadn't realized were shaking until now. Shivers wreaked my body and I could do nothing to stop them.

"Juliet, can you hear me? I need you to calm down. Focus on my voice and only my voice. Okay? You are so strong and don't ever think that you aren't, even for just a moment. So strong and incredibly brilliant, remember what you told me about _Frankenstein_ this afternoon?" What he said barely registered, but I nodded anyways. He continued murmuring to me despite the lack of reply.

Eventually, I calmed down. Carlisle continued tracing small patterns into the palm of my hand while driving at the same time. We weren't going nearly as fast anymore, but still a good fifteen miles above the speed limit. At one point, he turned on the heat, realizing how cold I was. When his hand found its way back into mine, I soon drifted off to sleep.

 **A/N: I realize the vampires in Twilight can't digest food, and that will be discussed much later on in the story. I have a bunch of school stuff to do this week, so chapter seven really might take a bit longer than this one. Like always though, try to expect the next chapter within 2-ish weeks?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Aside from my own characters in this story, everything else related to** ** _Twilight_** **belongs to Stephanie Meyer. If you like my story so far, don't forget to follow, favorite, and/or leave a review!**

 **Sorry this chapter took so long... Writer's block coupled with a busy schedule does not make a good combination. An additional thank you to most of the readers for not pestering me about the story. Also, I renamed the previous chapter to Chapter 7 instead of keeping it ask Chapter 6 Pt 2.**

I was back in an all too familiar hospital room. Despite the bright flowers sitting in the corner of the room, everything was as dull as I remembered. The bed was surrounded by countless medical equipment, their beeping the only sound that pierced the sterile air. I walked over to the window and my city of Seattle came into view. It'd been a while since I last stepped foot here but it was quiet, too quiet.

I turned around and the hospital was suddenly bustling with life again. My mother laid on the bed motionless, her unsteady breathing and the quiet beeping from the heart monitor being the only signs of life. The sight of her brought tears to my eyes. She was too young to be lying on her death bed. It infuriated me that Richards decided to exploit her "accident" to gather more media coverage and sympathy for his campaign. What sort of sick person did something like that? A commotion could be heard from the hall; there was shouting and bright flashes of light. The door slammed opened and Richards sauntered in with Blake in tow. Reporters surrounded the door trying to get a picture of mom, only being held back by the burly bodyguards brought along by Richards. The door shut and I placed myself between the bed and two men in front of me, the tabloid featuring my mother's accident in hand.

"What the hell is this?" I demanded, shoving the newspaper in his face.

"I don't have time for this, Juliet."

"Time for what? Time to explain why the hell you would give this to the media? This… This is your fault! _You_ are the reason she's here. You're the reason why that car hit her, why she may not make it!" I shouted mercilessly at him. It wasn't solely his fault though; I was the one that called her to pick me up. He dismissed me with a wave and motioned to Blake to get me out of the room.

"No! I'm not leaving her! Get your hands off of me!" Blake restrained my flailing arms and dragged me into the hallway where there were still reporters. The cameras went off around me and I immediately wormed my way out of his arms and shoved my hood up.

I remember storming off at that point, but that didn't seem to happen again. Blake grabbed my arm and yanked me towards his office, except it was no longer an office. It morphed into the basement of my house and I found myself suddenly strapped down to a table. Various tools and instruments were scattered across a tray next to me. _No… This can't be happening._ I screamed as loud as my lungs would allow but no one would come for the rescue.

"Someone, help me! Please! Anyone!" Carlisle– where was Carlisle? He promised… He swore he'd keep me safe.

The door slammed open like it did in the hospital, but it wasn't the man I wanted to see. Blake strolled in with a devilish grin and picked up a knife.

"Oh, shut up. It'd be a shame if I had to cut these pretty lips now wouldn't it? Such a waste…" The blunt blade trailed along the edges of my mouth, "But I suppose a little knick here and there wouldn't hurt." He dug the knife deeper into my skin, breaking the flesh and bringing blood to the surface. The crimson liquid trailed down my jaw and pooled on the table.

"Please… Stop," I begged but to no avail. No sound would come out. His menacing laugh was the last thing I heard before my eyes shot open and were assaulted by the bright sunlight streaming from in the floor to ceiling windows on my right. I gasped as my chest heaved for much needed air. My fingers flew to my face to make sure there weren't any actual cuts. It was another nightmare. My mind always had a sick way of taking my actual memories and twisting them in a way that would one day give me a heart attack. Realizing I wasn't at my own house, I scrambled to sit up, nearly falling off the king-sized bed. Was it too late? Had Blake somehow trace me to Forks?

The room itself was fairly decorated in monotones of black and white, with the occasional splashes of indigo. The three remaining walls were a light charcoal color and there was a mirror hanging on the wall in front of the bed above a black dresser. Unsurprisingly, my hair resembled a bird's nest. The memories from last night came back completely to me and I clutched the edge of the patterned blanket. What happened last night? I recalled falling asleep in Carlisle's car but I had no actual recollection as to what happened after.

I ripped off the blanket and goose bumps formed as my legs met with the chilly air. The jeans and sweater I was wearing the night before were no longer actually on my body. Instead, I was wearing a pair of pajama shorts too short for my liking and a t-shirt that seemed to dwarf me as it fell mid-thigh, essentially covering up the shorts. Anxiety crept over me from the unfamiliar surroundings. My feet rushed over to the window. There were mostly trees outside, but through the thicket I could see… my own house? I calmed down a bit realizing I was in the Cullen's house. It was like instinct was telling me I wouldn't be in danger here. Blake couldn't have possibly followed us all the way back to Forks.

The door to the right led to a small bathroom. On the counter were a toothbrush, some toothpaste, and a couple other things that I ended up using to prepare myself that morning. I haphazardly threw my newly brushed hair into a ponytail and nervously stepped out of the room, running straight into someone. It felt like hitting a brick wall.

The guy was even taller than Carlisle and had the build of a professional quarterback. I was 5'6". By no means was I short, but he was nearly an entire foot taller than me! He was burly, but had a childish like quality to his features most people his age normally didn't have. His curly dark-brown hair was tucked underneath a baseball cap and he had a backpack slung over one of his shoulders. At this point, I was used to seeing incredibly good looking people in this house.

"Why hello there," he grinned. I looked up towards him and blinked a few times, intimidated by his size and slightly embarrassed seeing how it looked like I wasn't wearing any pants.

"Hi… Do you know where Carlisle is?"

"Yeah, he's in the kitchen. Just follow me." He seemed to hesitate, wanting to say something else. "I'm Emmett, by the way," he added before leading me through the halls. We went down the stairs, passing some very _interesting_ pieces of what I assumed was modern art. The one with the graduation caps completely threw me off.

I kept thinking about what I would say to Carlisle on our way to the kitchen. He wouldn't want me for around for much longer. After all, I was a constant danger to everyone around him. He was shot at last night and it was _my_ fault. Terror gripped at my heart strings. Word would get out fast. The Shadows would be coming after me soon. It was time to leave yet again and it made me want to scream and rip out my hair.

The smell of food drifted through the entire floor, but my stomach churned at the thought of eating. Emmett walked me to the kitchen where Carlisle was reading at the breakfast bar and I mentally prepared myself for the oncoming storm, waiting for the onslaught that was to come from him. Carlisle looked up from the medical journal and his serious expression lightened up into a smile as his amber eyes raked over my scantily clad body.

"An interesting attire Alice has chosen… Good morning, Juliet," he greeted me. There was no malice in his voice, no indications that he was angry at me. It was like nothing happened at all. I shifted uncomfortably.

"Hello, Carlisle," I replied meekly.

There was a brief moment of silence before Emmett cut into the awkwardness, "Well, I'll be off to school. See ya, old man!" Carlisle rolled his eyes so quickly I almost didn't think I saw correctly.

"I see you've met Emmett," Carlisle said, putting the journals aside once his son was out of sight. "I apologize for anything crass or rude he may have said to you beforehand. He can be quite… unpredictable sometimes. Come sit, I saved some breakfast for you. I hope you're famished? I'll have to reheat some of it, but I'm sure it'll taste just as good."

"Ravenous," I murmured, grabbing the once occupied bar stool. The T-shirt rose further up as I sat down, revealing more of my legs— something that did not go unnoticed by Carlisle.

He's made no move to talk about last night so far. We were both ignoring the enormous elephant in the room. Did not bringing it up mean something? Perhaps he wouldn't mention anything and I could leave in what remaining peace I had left after this. The nightmare was example of how Carlisle wouldn't protect me no matter what he said. How could he? Yes, that's what I'd do. Eat what he gave me first and I could be out of Forks within the next couple hours.

I looked up and saw Carlisle refrying some bacon and eggs on a stainless-steel stove.

Noticing my evident concern, he casually asked, "Did you sleep well? I would've woken you up when we got back to Forks but you seemed so content. I didn't want to ruin it."

"I was fine." I stated, my face void of any emotion to reveal myself, yet he always seemed to figure me out.

"You're lying." I didn't reply after that; what could I possibly say? _Wow, I had a nightmare and you broke your promise of protecting me?_ I'd seem insane.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, seemingly realizing what I went through and I shook my head. He nodded in understanding, plating the food onto a plate and passing it across the counter to me. I stared intently at the plate. When was the next time I would get to eat something like this once I left?

"Is it too much? I'm normally accustomed to feeding five teenagers as oppose to one person."

"It's fine. You won't have to get used to feeding me anyway; I'll be out of your hair soon enough. You're probably sick of me by now," I finally said, albeit a bit too lightly. However, he seemed to have taken me more seriously than I intended.

"I could never get sick of you," he deadpanned. "As I have said before, you are one of the most intriguing people I've met in a while. How can one possibly get tired of such an enigma running about in front of him?" That's all I really was to him: a puzzle he would solve. I'd be tossed away once he uncovered my secrets, and knowing how persistent and persuasive he could be, he would. Whether I liked it or not, I eventually would have left him at some point. It hurt but it was the inevitable truth. I wouldn't be wanted any longer–– a feeling I knew all too well. I sat there wallowing in my self-pity for a couple moments until Carlisle spoke up.

"Are you alright, my darling?"

"Why am I such a mystery to you?" I snapped, "Haven't you ever heard the saying curiosity killed the cat? You were put into danger last night because if me. That is what happens when people try to get close to me and I've told you that so many times! I can't even begin to try and comprehend why you would be dumb enough to try and help me!" I knew it wasn't fair to take my anger out on him, but that's all I did my entire life to protect myself. I pushed people away so they couldn't see how broken I was. Though, Carlisle was nearly as stubborn as me. He was breaking down those walls.

"Juliet, I am a doctor. I make it my life's duty to help as many people as I possibly can–"

"Well don't! I'm not some broken toy that you can fix; I can't be saved. As much as I would love to stay here, I can't do it if it's going to lead to you being collateral damage. You can't ignore it. Eventually you will get hurt." I looked down at the untouched plate of food, realizing what just transpired between us.

"I'm sorry," I got off the stool, "I should probably leave now." I turned around and only took a few steps when Carlisle's frigid hand wrapped around my wrist, sending goose bumps scattering across my arm.

"Please don't."

I looked back at him with uncertainty. His eyes silently begged me to stay. Vulnerability shown through the layers of calm and collectedness I'd known him to be.

"Why?" I let out, barely above a whisper.

"For completely selfish reasons, I cannot let go of you. I've done it before. I thought it'd be best for them–her, but it ended being one of the biggest mistakes of my life. I can't make that mistake again. As much as you hate to hear me say it, I care about you. Please Juliet, please don't leave Forks. I can promise you that Dr. Blake will not alert anyone that you're here."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I… I can't tell you. I'm sorry, but you'll just have to trust me when I say that no one will come to harm you when you're here." I had no reason to trust him, but it seemed like for the past couple days, it was all I'd really been doing. Was that what compelled me to join him yesterday to Port Angeles, the fact that I was finally willing to trust someone again?

I sighed. "We need to talk about last night by the way."

Carlisle offered a small smiled and led me back to the bar. "Let's do it over some breakfast. I'm sure your food's getting cold." I ate in silence as he waited patiently. The pancakes and bacon suddenly didn't taste as good as it looked anymore now that I had to talk about the _incident_. My face paled and my hands began shaking again.

"It's completely fine if you're not up for talking right now. I'm a patient man; I can wait," Carlisle spoke up. I couldn't believe it. After all the pestering he's done this past week, he was suddenly changing his mind now?

"What changed?" I asked, staring at the remaining bits of food.

"You're not ready to talk about it and I don't want to have to force it out of you. I know it is easier to have someone to talk to about your problems. You're not so alone that way. Just know that no matter what you believe, you are not alone. I will constantly be there for you whether you like it or not, no matter the circumstance."

I looked up and he cocked a smile. I didn't have to thank him. He may not have been able to read me as well as others but my grateful look was a giveaway. Carlisle was right; I wasn't ready. I'd been forced to heavily rely on only myself for so long now; it was new having someone there with me. The weight was suddenly lifted off my shoulders even if he didn't completely know the entire story. Although I didn't completely trust him quite yet, Carlisle was proving to be someone I could depend on. A tear of gratitude rolled down my cheek and were followed by more soon after as if all my pent up emotions were finally breaking free. Everything I'd held in up to that point was overwhelmingly being let out. I was sobbing and there was nothing I could do to stop.

Carlisle was by me in an instant. A pair of strong arms wrapped around my trembling body, carrying me towards the black sofa a couple feet away. He cradled my head to his marble-like chest, slowly stroking my hair as I leaned into him for the comfort I desperately sought at that moment.

It seemed as though the whole world was crashing down on me. I did want to tell him about the Shadows, but it would be too selfish of me. He had a family, friends, a life here; could I ever take all of that away just so I could have someone to talk to? The lines were blurred now. It was never the plan to involve someone when I came to Forks. Carlisle promised he'd keep me safe but he would never win against the entire gang. Unless he could miraculously disappear without anyone's notice, we would be outrunning them for the rest of our lives.

I sniffled and pulled away from his embrace, refusing to look him in the eye.

"I'm s-sorry," I breathed, burying my tear-stained face into my knees.

"What for?" The soft tenor of his voice was gentle.

"For dragging you into this mess, for not telling you anything, for ruining your sweater with my ugly crying and the bullets, and basically just everything. You've been so kind to me and all I've done is act like a complete ass to you for the most part. I wanted to leave, but now I just don't know anymore," I sighed. I felt his hand on my back and I finally looked up. His eyes were clouded with worry and it made me remorseful and guilty that I was the reason for it.

"Oh, darling," he murmured. "Do not apologize for protecting yourself, even if it's from me. I won't ever regret bringing you into my life, not for a single moment. How many times will I have to tell you that you mean so much more than simply a puzzle to me?"

"Probably a billion more times because I'm not going to believe you any time soon," I rubbed at my bloodshot eyes.

He let out a deflated sigh and brushed some hair that escaped from my ponytail out of my face. "That, I can surely promise you. Do you still want to leave?"

"Everything's telling me I should…"

"But?"

"But I don't want to at the same time," I finally admitted to myself more than him. It was like something was telling me I should stay, that everything would turn out alright, no matter how bad it got. It was something I hadn't felt in a very long time: hope.

 **~oxOXOxo~**

"Don't you have to actually go to work or something? I highly doubt your boss would consider paying you for entertaining me." I was curled up in a leather armchair in the corner of Carlisle's office, a pile of books sat at the foot of the chair while my fingers lingered on the pages of the book in my lap, the nightmare from last night pushed into the back of my head. Meanwhile, Carlisle was doing paperwork at his desk.

He looked up distractedly from the papers in hand. "As much as I enjoy working at the hospital, I would much rather spend my time with you." I rolled my eyes at his never ending charm. "Besides, I work the night shift today so I suppose I'm really the one winning in this situation."

"Whatever you say, doc," I replied mindlessly before going back to the story. Only a couple sentences were read before Carlisle was behind the chair, peering over my head.

"Speaking of work, you have the interview today." I hadn't noticed him move from his desk and slightly jumped at the sudden voice. With everything that'd happened, I completely forgot about it! Not only that, I was unprepared too. There was no way I could show up in my jeans, wherever they were, and sweatshirts, and even then, there was no certainty I'd even get the teaching job. I only graduated early about a year and a half ago, and that was only due to the amount of effort I put into school. After that, I co-taught in one of the middle schools in Seattle, but the moment summer break hit, I ran. It'd be a miracle if they accepted someone with such a lack of experience. And if I didn't get hired here, there would be no choice but to leave Forks.

"You're worried," it wasn't a question but a statement.

My face hardened. "Was it that obvious?"

Carlisle placed a hand on my shoulder, smiling reassuringly, "You have nothing to be worried about. I'm sure you'll easily get the job."

"How can you be so sure?" I sighed dismissively, setting the book down. "Nothing ever seems to go my way." He walked around the armchair and lowered himself to eye-level with me. I instinctively curled up tighter, hugging my knees to my chest.

"You've shown me how dedicated and passionate you can be about this. Why do you continue question your capabilities and self worth?"

Why? Maybe because I could never do I wanted, what was needed. I couldn't do anything. Courage and bravery were not in my vocabulary. I couldn't save any of the people that were tortured in front of me; hell, I couldn't even save the person I loved the most. I was too afraid to speak up, too afraid to ever get help again. I told none of that to him though. Carlisle wouldn't understand.

He grudgingly accepted my silence and took hold of my hands in his. "You are going to be fine. Besides, the teenagers are closer to your age. You'll understand them in a way that their other teachers won't. They'll adore you, just as I have. Now, since I seem to be finished with work for now, let me help you prepare. I'm sure Alice won't mind lending you some clothes to wear."

 **~oxOXOxo~**

My heel-clad feet stepped out of Carlisle's Mercedes and bounced across the pavement, up to the front door of the Cullen home. Much to my reluctance, Carlisle insisted on letting me borrow his car to get to Forks High School. In all honesty, I had no say in it. It was nearly time to go and I wasn't about to make him drive me there. However, it did feel nice to drive in such a luxurious car for once.

The door opened and Carlisle's god-like features came into view.

"Judging from the brilliant smile, I'm going to guess that you got the job?" he smirked.

"I did," I replied, nodding enthusiastically and launched myself into his arms, giggling like a school-girl. "Thank you." Carlisle was definitely caught off guard. This was it, the start of something new. I wouldn't be able to live here for the rest of my life, but this was a start for now. Things were finally looking up for me. The light was growing brighter, and no longer did my future seem so dim.

"Anything for you, my dear."


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** **Aside from my own characters in this story, everything else related to** ** _Twilight_** **belongs to Stephanie Meyer. If you like my story so far, don't forget to follow, favorite, and/or leave a review!**

 **I am so, so sorry for my unannounced hiatus. This chapter really deviated from my original outline and was overall just really hard to write. Since finals and SATs are coming up, I unfortunately cannot promise any chapters anytime soon.**

" _You can do this, Juliet. Suck it up."_

I stood next to the slowest copier known to mankind, glancing at the clock. 8:10 AM, five minutes till first period would start. It was the following Monday after I'd gotten the teaching position at Forks High School, and to say I was nervous was an understatement. I already attended a mandatory faculty meeting where I introduced in front of less than 25 teachers. The student body wasn't so big either which I suppose would make things easier for me. This school was relatively empty coming from a city constantly full of people though. At least the people in my department seemed friendly enough.

As one of the four English teachers, I was in charge of English 11 and English 10 Honors. My department head only gave me a couple days to prepare everything for classes which had me scrambling around like a headless chicken since Friday afternoon. Apparently the administration had been desperate for a replacement ever since their last teacher left.

Meanwhile, my car problem was solved for now when Carlisle put one of his daughter's cars on loan to me. Rosalie's I believed. I had not met her yet, but if she was anything like the other Cullens, I was sure she'd be just as… charming as the rest of her family. According to Carlisle, Emmett was already grounded from driving so Rosalie could simply use the Jeep.

My head swirled from the thought of how much freedom his kids received. In many ways, I envied them. They had privileges I could only imagine while growing up under the force of a powerful senator and gang leader.

The warning bell rang at 8:13. Great, I was going to be late on my first day of class. I mentally snickered thinking of how it wasn't long ago that I was in these students' position – rushing about the hallways, haphazardly doing homework before walking into class. It was unbelievable how I was only a high school senior almost five years ago

The copier finished printing the syllabuses for me and I snatched them up before navigating the dwindling sea of students towards my classroom down the hall. The corner of my lips curved upwards at the thought of that: _my_ classroom. Just as I was about to step foot into the room, a body came out from the side, blocking the entrance. The air turned sour as I was forced to breathe in the heavy amounts of cologne he was wearing.

"I'm sure you noticed me at that meeting this morning. Too bad we couldn't get a proper introduction," he smirked and stuck a copper-toned hand out. I stared at the outstretched hand, reluctantly shaking it. Did he really have to do this now? His black shoulder-length hair was as disheveled as the shirt he was wearing and probably hosted enough hair products to engulf into flames had a match been lit near his head. His features were more on the good-looking side with a strong jaw and chiseled nose, but he was fairly average compared to any of the Cullens. "So you're probably wondering who I am. The name's Jonas Michelson. I teach history here."

"It was a pleasure to–"

"Oh believe me, the pleasure is all mine."

I sighed in exasperation, glaring daggers at the man. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Michelson, but I'm afraid I have a class to teach. If you excuse me…" I maneuvered my way around him but his hand caught my wrist in the process. I flinched at the contact. Lips tightening, I yanked my hand away.

"If you get the time, visit me around the corner for lunch. I have a killer sandwich I'm not opposed to share."

"I'm sure you do. _Goodbye, Mr. Michelson_ ," I emphasized and escaped into the class full of juniors. I must've made one hell of an entrance because they were all staring at me. The bell had rung a few minutes ago, so everyone was present.

Earlier that morning, I rearranged the desks into rows of paired desks. There wasn't a seating chart, but I figured a bunch of sixteen and seventeen year olds were able to sit themselves responsibly. The posters and miscellaneous decorations had been left from the previous teacher, so cheesy phrases such as "Today is a great day to learn something new!" littered the walls.

The students kept staring as I dropped the stack of syllabuses on the large metal desk in the front corner provided for me. Whispers floated throughout the classroom.

"Who is she?"

"I've never seen her around here!"

"Is that our new teacher?"

They were judging. I could tell they were. It was like being exhibited in a zoo, but I couldn't let any of it phase me too much. _Rule number one: do not let them sense fear._

"Good morning, everyone," I sat on the edge of the desk. "I recently moved to the Forks area so most of you won't know me. I am Ms. Hanson, which I've written on the board along with contact information in case you need it. To answer your questions, yes. I will be replacing Mr. Mason as your new English 11 teacher for the remainder of the year." Smiles lit up several of the students' faces. "Before we do anything else, let me pass out a revised syllabus and take attendance. Just saying in advance, but please, please tell me if I horribly butcher your name."

After passing out the syllabuses, I went through the list of students, ending with Eric Yorkie.

"And Eric, unless you really enjoy staring at your crotch that much, please put your phone away," I smiled, causing the class to burst into giggles. The kid finally looked up in bewilderment. "I graduated school a couple years ago. There's not much that gets past me."

First period went smoothly for the most part. The class had previously been preparing for an in-class essay on the rhetorical devices used within the first chapter of _The Scarlet Letter._ Despite not disliking the book as much as the rest of the students, I wouldn't be able to handle any major grading for the next couple weeks. In the end, it was the decided that the paper would be scrapped and I would instead assign them a small project on it next class.

 **~oxOXOxo~**

Period three slowly trickled in after my class of sophomores left. As clever and hardworking as they were, they seemed a lot more rambunctious than the juniors.

The last person to enter the room had the same striking eyes as Carlisle – this was definitely Edward. Just as the bell rang to mark the start of fifth period, he sat down towards the back. If he knew who I was, he didn't acknowledge it.

Unlike the classes before, this one was eerily silent. There was a lack of the excited whispering I'd become accustomed to and a lot more staring. Everyone seemed to be glancing back and forth between me and Edward.

 _Don't let them sense fear._

"Good afternoon, guys. You've probably heard this by now, but my name is Ms. Hanson and I shall be taking over for Mr. Mason for the remainder of the year." Quiet cheers quickly replaced the silence. "There are some policies that I'm changing. Everything will be address in the syllabus. Please read over it while I take attendance and feel free to ask any questions. It should relatively be more or less the same though."

"Tyler Crowley," I called out later on.

"Here!"

"Edward Cullen." The students around him glanced at him again as if he was about to spontaneously combust, yet his face remained impassive. He didn't bother to say anything, deciding to only raise his hand and I was forced to move on to the next student. I didn't think much of it though; perhaps Edward was one of the quieter ones. It was a large contrast compared to his more energetic sister.

I felt their stares burn a hole into my head. It was a sixth sense from constantly looking over my shoulder in Seattle. Every time I looked up though, the students all seemed to be focused on their work. I mentally sighed. New-comers couldn't possibly _this_ interesting to them, even if I literally came crashing into this town.

Chief Swan had called me last night, notifying me about an update to the crash. The police department couldn't figure out who was driving on that road that night and that I was probably imagining things given my lack of sleep that night – something I was starting to willingly accept because there was no other possible explanation.

That didn't mean that I still wasn't pissed off about losing a car.

I never talked to Edward, but that was in the back of my head for the next two periods. The bell rang at 12:35, marking the beginning of lunch. With a car meant that I was finally able to drive to a grocery store this past weekend and buy some food.

I opted to eat in my classroom rather than the staff lounge or cafeteria. It gave me some time to myself to contemplate and focus on the future, if I had one that is. I had everything I've ever wanted here in Forks. Was it really worth leaving? With a sigh, I picked absently at the salad in front of me, taking extra care to make sure nothing got on the blouse that hid the bandages on my arm. Alice lent me some of her clothes like she did for the interview, and as much as I appreciated it, it was a bit of a nuisance having to constantly worry about getting anything dirty. That and it was embarrassing having to borrow from Carlisle's daughter. I was definitely his charity case at this point. The first thing I was going to do with that paycheck was get some new outfits of my own to wear.

Speaking of the devil, a head popped out from the doorway just as I was about to take a bite.

"Alice?" I called out with uncertainty. Alice walked into the classroom followed by Jasper.

"Hi, Ms. Hanson! I just wanted to know how your first day was going. Hopefully no incidents?"

My lips curled into a small smile. It was definitely strange knowing someone actually cared about how I was. "It's been fine, thank you. A lot more quiet than my high school years if anything. Shouldn't you be at lunch? Your friends are probably wondering where you are." Her golden eyes gleamed mischievously as if she knew something I didn't.

"I'm sure they'll be fine without me. You don't mind if Jazzy and I keep you company until 5th period, right?"

"Um," I frowned slightly. Just like their father, these kids would weasel their way into my heart, and I would then have an even harder time of letting go of Forks when it was time. Was it right to allow them to get close to me as Carlisle did in such a short period of time? My apprehension was quickly swept away and replaced by sudden self-assurance that seemed to come out of nowhere. "I guess it'll be ok as long as you guys don't get in trouble for it!"

The pair sat down at the desks in front of me, and Jasper pulled a book out from his backpack.

"So how do you like Forks so far?" Alice asked. She smiled so sweetly, it seemed impossible for her to be feigning interest.

"It's been… relatively quiet; the perfect place away from a busy city like Seattle." Well, I wasn't lying. As much as I enjoyed company, I loathed idle small talk.

Alice nodded, "That's probably one of the reasons why my family loves it here so much. We're constantly moving, so it's nice to have peace and quiet once in a while. Although, I do hope Forks hasn't been too dreadfully boring!" she gushed on and on with only a few remarks from me once in a while. Did she always talk this much at home? It wasn't until she mentioned her father that my ears perked up and I started paying attention to what she was saying again.

"Yeah, _dad_ keeps talking about you at home. I swear, you're like all he talks about nowadays! I'm pretty sure he's developed a crush on you!"

I choked on the water I was drinking when she said that.

Alice raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow, and even the corners of Jasper's mouth curled up into a sly smirk he attempted to hide behind the book he was reading.

"That's very… presumptuous of you to say." I was like a deer caught in the headlights: freaked out and unsure of what to do except let the car run over me. I was well aware of Carlisle's _fondness_ of me, but surely it couldn't be more than that.

Luckily, I was saved by the bell and Alice and Jasper bid their farewells. I still couldn't wrap my head around the idea that _Carlisle_ _Cullen_ would have, as Alice would say, a "crush" on me. It was preposterous, ludicrous, and insane. I was nine years younger than him. He was the rich, gorgeous, and not to mention compassionate doctor and I was the damaged girl with way too much baggage. He was kind and loving, and I only brought darkness everywhere I went. There was no way Carlisle would have something as stupid and insignificant as a crush, especially on me.

Unfortunately, the only thing I could concentrate on for the rest of the day was, _"I'm pretty sure he's developed a crush on you!"_ It frustrated me to no end because no matter how much my inner teenage self wanted it to be true, my head was telling me to open my damn eyes and be realistic. It wasn't going to happen. Happy endings where the prince whisked the damsel in distress away from the fire-breathing dragon didn't exist in the real world.

When the bell rang for the final time today, needless to say, I was relieved. High school was hell on earth for me, yet I was still dumb enough to come back.

A shoulder ran into me as I walked towards the parking lot, causing me to drop several notebooks and binders onto the sidewalk. Unbelievable _._

I bent down to start gathering my stuff and noticed an awful scent cling to the air. Instantly, I realized who this was. This day couldn't even end remotely peacefully.

"Sorry about that." Michelson kneeled down to help me, not that I wanted it. "It's a shame you didn't come visit for lunch. You missed out on a pretty kickass sandwich."

"I was busy," I replied bitterly. Maybe it was the arrogance or how he tried hitting on me, but there was something about Michelson that bothered me. I grabbed the last notebook and stood up.

"That's unfortunate. Maybe another time then? My room is always open, especially for a pretty face like yours." My lips tightened, as I reminded myself not to say anything that would get me fired.

 _This was going to be a long year._

 **~oxOXOxo~**

"He even had the audacity to say 'my room is always open, especially for a pretty face like yours' after that! Why? Why do guys have to be like that? Seriously! It's like no one's ever told him how much of a pig he is. I couldn't even put him in his place because just… ugh!" I fell back onto the carpeted floor.

Carlisle had showed up at my door an hour ago with two bags of Chinese takeout. We were now sprawled out on the floor of my sparsely furnished living room, sorting and filling out forms for our jobs. It was curious how I only met him no more than two weeks ago, yet we acted as though we've known each other for years.

A laugh emitted from where Carlisle was and I groaned again.

"Carlisle, this isn't supposed to be funny!" He stood up and lied down beside me. I looked over and notice the twinkle was back in his eyes.

"Well, for starters, I don't think I've seen you frustrated like this before. It's quite endearing. Secondly, I find it funny that you can handle getting into a car accident with relative ease, yet you can't tell a man to – as us English would say – _piss off_." What he said barely registered in my mind until I replayed it.

"Did you just say what I think you said?" I looked at him incredulously with raised eyebrows before bursting out in so much laughter that I was face-down and clutching my stomach a couple moments later.

"I'm glad I was able to bring some joy back into your life with my diction," Carlisle chuckled. "However, I believe a situation like that truly did deserve my minor swearing."

I finally got myself together and rolled over to my side. Carlisle supported his head with his arm as he continued to look at me curiously. Through my tears of laughter, I could see his smile, but his eyes seemed several shades darker than before. We were less than a foot apart now. He leaned forward slightly and I shot up from the floor.

"So," I started off awkwardly, "I didn't know you were from England." I picked up a box of lo mein to avoid any eye contact with him and sat down on the couch. Carlisle didn't seem phased by my sudden reaction – of course he wouldn't. It wasn't like anything actually happened.

Carlisle sat back up. "I am, London in fact. Both of my parents passed away, so I had reason to stay there any longer."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Now things were even more awkward. What else did people say in situations like this?

"Don't be. It was a _very_ long time ago."

"Were you close with them?" I asked carefully with genuine interest. Knowing his past somehow made him more human and less of the god people saw him as.

"Not particularly with my father. I was never quite the son he wanted me to be. My mother died giving birth to me, so I never knew her." Carlisle's normally cheerful smile seemed strained now, almost sad even. My heart ached for him, and I took a deep breath.

"Well, if it's any consolation, my mom died about five years ago and my father left us when I was three." I conveniently left out the part where she remarried five years later to one of the most dangerous men on the west coast. I wasn't ready for him to know that piece of information yet. "So I definitely relate to dads not liking me," I added to lighten the mood.

This was the first time I had ever told anyone anything remotely related to my dysfunctional family, if you could even call it that. Nothing could describe how relieved I currently felt. I no longer had to worry about scaring Carlisle off with my tragically cliché back story. As much as I hated to admit it, he was really growing on me. I didn't know how I was going to let him go when the time came.

"Fortunately, I am one less father for you to worry about at Back to School Night. I don't know if you've noticed, but I happen to be quite fond of you," Carlisle said. I rolled my eyes at the unintentional charm before the realization hit me. My brows furrowed as I tried to recall when it was, if anyone actually bothered telling me. Carlisle laughed once again, running a hair through the disheveled hair.

"It would seem hadn't heard about it yet. Back to School Night is in about two weeks, so you have some time to prepare for the onslaught."

"Oh crap," I muttered. "I swear if you don't show up, don't be surprised if you suddenly find your tires slashed or something along those lines." He seemed amused by reaction and I threw a chopstick at him. "I mean it, Carlisle! I am not suffering with the helicopter parents without you!" He easily caught the chopstick with one hand and quickly stood up, taking a step towards me until we were only a couple inches apart. His hand cupped my cheek and it reminded me of our night out in Port Angeles.

"I wouldn't dream of it, darling."

 **A/N: I'm constantly wishing I wrote this in 3rd person.**


	10. Chapter 10 – Carlisle

**Disclaimer: Aside from my own characters in this story, everything else related to _Twilight_ belongs to Stephanie Meyer.**

 **A/N: If you guys couldn't tell from the chapter title, this chapter is in Carlisle's point of view! Although I hate POV changes, I think this one is really beneficial. Hopefully it clears up any questions because this is the last you'll be hearing of vampires for a very long time.**

"Dr. Cullen, you're being paged," one of the nurses called out. There was never a dull moment working in a hospital, even if this was Forks.

Humans were still very much the same since I'd change in 1663. Being a vampire constantly reminded me just how fragile a human can be. A compromised immune system could succumb to even the most basic of viruses, a bone could break with just a snap, yet humans were still top of the food chain – technically of course. Advancements they've made have transformed mankind hundreds of times over, advancements no one could ever possibly imagine back in 1663. It was easy to look at one single human and see insignificance but take a step back and suddenly, they're changing the world. _Incredible, wasn't it?_

"What does it say?" I asked. It took no effort to concentrate on the surgery; splenectomies were easy enough to perform in my sleep. That is, if I slept.

"There's incoming trauma. They need you in the ER." No surprise there, the ER had been eerily quiet today and quiet always meant trouble.

"Of course. Tell Dr. Anderson to give me five minutes to close up, and I'll be there as fast as I can." It was a blessing to be able to do my line of work despite being who I was. I couldn't imagine it any other way.

I sped down the corridors of the hospital at an agonizingly slow pace after finishing up the surgery. With my shoes squeaking against the tile floors, I push opened the doors to the emergency room. I breathed in the sterile air that I'd become accustomed to after centuries of doing this job. The sirens in the distance were coming closer. A doctor's work never ended.

"What do we have?" I asked Dr. Anderson as we waited for the ambulances.

"Car crash outside of town. Four victims. They say it's pretty bad."

Accidents like that were rare around Forks, yet it was only a month ago when we had another crash.

 _"Carlisle, you need to get out here now. There was an accident. I_ - _I never saw it coming. I should've been paying attention_ –"

 _"Emmett, slow down. What happened?" I pressed. My shift had just ended and I was on my way home when Emmett called me. The blur of trees and other cars passed me as I zoomed down the road._

 _"I was testing out the new Jeep. Jasper was running besides me. The headlights weren't on, she didn't see me coming. It was too slippery to stop. I... Oh crap, she swerved and crashed on the side of the road leading to the house. I don't know if she's alive or not. There was blood; I had to get Jasper out of there."_

 _"I'm on my way." I hung up the phone and slammed down on the accelerator. There was no time to lose; I could deal with Emmett later on._

 _The scene was empty aside from the battered car. A fog descended upon my mind. There was one goal now and that was to find the woman._

 _There was no one in sight, but there was a scent. The smell of soap and blood lingered with the muskiness of the surrounding forest and the rain pouring over my head. Judging by how fresh it was, the accident happened no more than twenty five minutes ago. I followed it to the house next to mine and found the crumpled body at the base of the door._

 _I rushed over to the body, straining to see or hear any signs of life. Do not be dead, please do not be dead. My ears drained out the pattering of the rain on the pavement, the rustling of the trees, anything that was not the beating of this human's heart._

 _Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump._

 _I relished in the steady rhythm of blood being pumped through her arteries. It was faint, but she was still very much alive and breathing. I let out a sigh of relief. Emmett was right to get Jasper away; there was enough blood dripping onto the ground to worry me. The sweet scent of the red liquid called out to me, begging me to drink it as any other vampire would have done, but I managed the will ignored it. She was like any other patient. There was no other choice. Calling the hospital, I ran at full speed into my house to grab all the medical supplies needed to triage and treat her until an ambulance came._

 _Treating her wounds was a different story though. It was hard to accurately assess the situation when the patient kept fighting me, despite her unconscious state. Her flailing limbs did nothing to stop the slow flow of blood dripping from her arms._

" _BP is 150 over 80," I told the EMTs when they arrived. "Breathing is normal. There are no other physical signs of injury besides the cuts. Temperature is at 94 degrees and decreasing rapidly, we need to warm her fast and treat the wounds. Be careful though, she's a fighter"_

" _That's a miracle considering what her car went through. Thanks, Dr. Cullen. We'll handle it from here." The moment they touched her, she went back into fight mode._

" _Push two of lorazepam," I ordered. It took all three of us to strap her to the gurney before we could inject the sedative safely, as much as I resented it. Hurting her was the last thing I wanted to do, but it was necessary if we wanted to get her to the hospital._

" _I'm coming with her." They were apprehensive, but I stood by my decision. "I found her completely alone. She will need someone to be with her when she wakes." They quickly agreed and I hopped on. Arguing with me would've wasted precious time._

 _It was only when we were settled that I could commit every detail of her face to memory. Who was this mysterious woman and what was she doing all the way out here?_

 _She looked to be in her early twenties, but it was a bit hard to tell. Her body was much too thin; she hadn't been eating enough, the dark bags under her eyes were from lack of sleep._

 _I had to admit, under all of the bruising, she possessed a subtle beauty that would've been attractive had she been healthier. Her dark hair contrasted with the pallid tone of her skin from laying in the rain for over a half hour. She was fading fast. I didn't know what, but something special about the way her hand instinctively curled around mine told me I needed to do my damnedest to save her._

" _Mark my words, you will not die today. Not on my watch. Just stay with us just a bit longer, darling," I said quietly enough that no one would be able to hear._

" _Her name's Juliet Hanson. The team found some paperwork in the car. I did a background check on her. Dr. Cullen, this is Senator Andrew Richard's stepdaughter," Charlie Swan told me later on in a hushed whisper, as though he was afraid someone would hear._

" _I see," I replied absently, still in my normal clothes. I looked down at Juliet's chart, currently labeled as 'Jane Doe.' The fact that she was a senator's daughter was of no relevance. All that matter was that she was stable for now._

" _No one's reported her missing. We haven't been able to contact Arthur, but we believe she's renting out his house. There're just some things about her that raises red flags."_

" _What do you mean?" I peaked up curiously from the charts._

 _Charlie shifted uncomfortably. "We searched her bags. One of them had money in it – a lot of money, if you know what I mean. Now, I don't know what her story is, but the station wants me to question her when she wakes up."_

" _Only if it is absolutely necessary," I frowned._

" _Believe me, doc. I wouldn't be asking if it wasn't."_

It's funny how things have progressed since then. Never in a million years would I have thought my life could once again change in one single night, especially from a single girl.

Juliet had no idea I knew who she was, and I was not going to push and prod her about it. She'd tell me when she was ready, that I could be sure of. Meanwhile, Emmett was still grounded from nearly everything which included, but was not limited to: driving, video games, TV, movies, and sleeping with Rosalie. The last one was really a blessing for the rest of us.

It was absurd I had to give a punishment out like that, but what else could I do to an 89 year old vampire?

"Incoming, Dr. Cullen!" The sirens were blaring now as the ambulances pulled up in front of the ER. The EMTs jumped out and began unloading the blood-stained gurneys, so we could quickly x-ray the victims and get them into the OR.

A doctor's work never ended.

 **~oxOXOxo~**

Back to School Night was in twenty minutes. The kids have been going to this school for two years now, yet this would be the first time I showed up to one of these. The scrubs I donned in the hospital were now replaced with a dress shirt and some slacks. I tightened my tie in front of one of the many mirrors in the living room.

"Damn, she has you so whipped," Emmett laughed as he popped up from behind me.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," I replied. That was a complete and utter lie.

He grinned like the Cheshire Cat. "Well, old man, let me explain then! It basically means that–"

"Emmett, go bother someone else." He smirked under Edward's glare. It was a constant struggle to live under the same roof with five too many teenagers. How I haven't gone insane after nearly ninety years is a mystery. Edward rolled his eyes at my thought.

"Not my fault our residential grandpa's gonna bang a chick before you will, Eddy-boy. Loosen your corset or remove that stick from your ass because bro, you are missing out on _a lot_."

"Says the guy that got _grounded_ from sex for nearly killing someone with your ridiculous antics," Edward muttered.

Emmett put his hands up defensively before giving Edward a knowing look and backing away. "Hey, I'm just saying you need to get laid, and fast."

Children. They were no more than children eighty percent of the time. This was exactly why I was spending more and more time at Juliet's house.

"I cannot believe you're doing this. Do you even know what you're doing? Are you sure she's worth it, Carlisle? You of all people should know how dangerous this is, how dangerous _she_ is," Edward snapped after hearing my thoughts.

"You keep mentioning how 'dangerous' she is, yet you refuse to tell me exactly how Juliet poses as a danger to us. We are vampires if you've forgotten. Very few things in this world can do harm to us."

"Haha, very funny. I won't reveal things you don't need to know. Was being shot at not enough to prove how dangerous she is? On the other hand, we may be invincible for the most part, but she was human the last time I checked. Need I say more?"

There was no need. I would never intentionally let anything endanger this family, _my_ family. Juliet was human – so very, very human, yet so strong at the same time. She experienced life so deeply and wildly, she brought a beaming ray of light to the lonely abyss that was my life, she gave me purpose. Was it so wrong to be drawn towards her?

Edward threw me a bitter look and stalked off to his room, leaving me to my thoughts. With an audible sigh, I grabbed the keys to the Mercedes and started for my car.

Rosalie and Edward were very much against my relationship – if you could even call it that – with Juliet. It was easy to understand Rosalie's disdain, but I couldn't possibly fathom why Edward had such a problem with us. He could read my mind, so didn't he realize by now that I wasn't about to go and abandon her, especially when she needed someone by her side?

With a press of a button, I turned on the radio to fill the silent void of my car.

"As of 5:45 this evening, two bodies have been found off the coast of the Potomac River in Washington D.C. One of them had washed up on shore and was discovered by tourists this afternoon. Authorities in D.C. believe they were dumped upstream but drifted south from storms there this past week. The bodies are confirmed to be connected with the King County Killings in the Seattle area and possibly the disappearance of Congressman Robert Aldridge, who went missing three weeks ago. The area is currently being searched for any more evidence and the case has been taken over by the FBI."

My lips pursed as I frowned. The murders had started up before I came back to Forks. I initially told the kids to stay out of it and let the police handle it themselves, but as the list of victims started getting longer, we had to intervene – or at least we tried to. Even with Edward and Alice's powers, it was difficult to find out anything that wasn't already known. The killings were too sporadic and were now reaching the other side of the country, but there was nothing we could do without any more information.

However, after the day in Port Angeles with Juliet, I was absolutely sure she was somehow connected to the gang. Edward refused to say anything about it though.

My mind ceased to stop thinking about her. Unless I was working, Juliet constantly consumed my mind. The way she put up a front when anyone else was around, the way she let those walls down for me, even if it was just for a sliver of a moment. She was unlike many women of this day and age. She wasn't enchanted by the way I looked, she saw past the face of a monster. If anything, it was the other way around.

Every time we were near each other, all I could focus on was how the light caught her hair; how her entrancing, blue eyes seemed clearer each time I managed to make her laugh, and oh god that laugh – that immensely rare laugh – it was a sonata to my ears. All I wanted was to hold her in my arms and protect her from the darkness of the world.

Juliet had unknowingly captured my heart without even trying.

It was pathetic how I was drawn to her. I was pining after a girl that I could never call mine, and for selfish reasons at that. I had no right to ask for more when I already had my family, but she was all I wanted now, and it was wrong. It was so very, very wrong. Of course she meant more to me than an enigma, but she was also my second chance, _my chance to do what I hadn't with Esme_.

I pulled into the already packed parking lot of the school. Of the multitudes of cities and towns I had occupied, Forks was one of the few that had a strong sense of community.

Unfortunately, having five teenagers attend the same school at the same time meant that I also had many teachers to visit, and word would get around quick if I so rudely ignored some of those teachers.

After many star-struck stares and coffee date proposals, I had come to a conclusion: the soccer moms were far worse than the nurses. The latter were at least used to my presence in the hospital. I was nothing but bait for the sharks in this school. You would think that after years of living here, I wouldn't be so much of a novelty for women to gawk at. Not that it bothered me any longer; my focus was on one person, and she was standing in the room I was about to enter.

From the hallway, I could hear Juliet conversing with one of the parents that had yet to leave for the next class.

"My husband and I wanted to welcome you to Forks with some homemade cookies." The woman offered her a wrapped plate. It smelled like chocolate chip with hints of cinnamon and vanilla. "I pulled them out of the oven right before coming here, so they should still be fresh! And I don't want to brag, but I've heard that I make some of the best cookies in all of Forks."

"Oh… Thank you so much, Ms…?"

"Crowley. I'm Tyler's mother."

"Of course. Once again, thank you for the cookies but I don't think I'll be able to take–"

"Don't be silly, dear! Everyone loves my baking. I insist!" A moment later, they said their goodbyes and parted ways. I smiled. It was just like Juliet to accept baked goods she was unable to consume just to appease someone.

"Dr. Cullen! I hadn't noticed you there!" The woman exclaimed when she nearly bumped into me. Her heart rate increased. "I don't believe I've ever seen you at one of these."

"Hello, Mrs. Crowley. I had tonight off and thought I should visit children's teachers for once." I replied politely, itching to see Juliet. "What did you think of Ms. Hanson?" Her enthusiasm seemed to die down a bit when I mentioned Juliet, but she proceeded to answer.

"She seemed nice enough. I'm not exactly sure how the class will turn out considering how young she is. I mean, I doubt she's had much experience. Tyler doesn't seem to be very concerned though; he's probably just excited to have another pretty face to stare at. You know how the boys can be."

I hardly thought Edward would care about the appearance of his teacher, even if the said teacher happened to have a… _pretty_ face, but went along with it anyways. With the conversation ending soon after, I was able to talk to the person I've wanted to see all night.

Dressed in a sweater and a skirt that was just a little too tight, Juliet stood at the door to shake hands with the parents.

Until she saw me.

"Look who finally showed up," Juliet remarked sarcastically, yet her smile was brighter. "How many women had to ask you out before you came crawling here?"

"I'll have you know that it was only six, otherwise I was seeing other teachers. I do have the charming doctor reputation to uphold."

"Other teachers? You hurt me, Dr. Cullen. And to think I was your favorite." She pouted as mirth danced around in her blue eyes. _Darling, you have no idea_.

Someone coughed from behind me, and Juliet suddenly looked away, a faint blush forming on her cheeks that could only be noticed by someone like me. "C'mon, go sit down before you hold more people up."

Sitting down in the second row, I recognized the person that coughed as Audrey Seo, one of the newer scrub nurses at the hospital. I believed she had younger brother that attended school here.

"Ms. Seo," I nodded my head towards her as she sat down next to me.

"Dr. Cullen," she regarded me coolly.

I was ashamed to say that when the presentation started, I stopped listening. As much as I loved to hear Juliet talk, I'd heard variations of this speech days ago, yet the way she acted in this room was completely different. She stood tall, held her head high, spoke with authority, it was clear who was in charge here. Time went by quicker in her presence because the presentation soon ended.

"If you have any questions, feel free to come up to me now or contact me by email. Once again, I would like thank you all for coming and I hope to have a great year with your children.

As everyone began leaving, I stood behind for the chance to talk to Juliet again.

"So how was it? Did I bore you to death?" Oh, the irony.

"You were great," I said.

"Lies! I spend my time with teenagers for a living, so I definitely know the face of someone not paying attention when I see it, Carlisle."

I looked down bashfully. "Guilty as charged. Regardless, the parents seemed to like you."

"Yeah, except that lady that walked in after you. I don't think she likes me very much," Juliet scoffed.

"Audrey Seo is the least of your concerns right now. Focus on getting through the rest of the night, and perhaps I will cook you dinner as a reward."

"Mm," she sat on the edge of desk causing the already short skirt to slide up several inches more, "It's an offer I can't really refuse can I? I will take you up on that. Now go before you miss the next session. I'm pretty sure you have like another million teachers to see."

 **~oxOXOxo~**

By the time Back to School Night was over, it was almost 8:30 and nearly everyone was gone. Now I was no chef, but I prided myself on my ability to cook – a skill I hadn't the need to possess until very recently. Juliet had no idea that I practically prayed my food to be edible every time I served something to her.

It was when I rounded the corner that the stench hit me, the smell of… _dog_. It'd been decades since I came across one of the shifters, albeit the smell was certainly less prominent than I remember. There was also the strong smell of heavy cologne. A quick whiff of the air and I could tell that it came from Juliet's classroom. If memory served well, this was a violation of the treaty. What was going on here?

"What do you want?" I heard Juliet ask.

"To eat lunch with you, but that's not what I'm here for. Do you have the memo for next week's faculty meeting? I lost mine." It was a male voice. She didn't reply, but the sound of rustling papers could be heard. "So, rumor has it that you and a certain Cullen were getting cozy with each other earlier."

The rustling stopped. "I don't need your petty gossip."

"Are you admitting that it's true?"

"That," she started slowly, "is none of your business. Now take the memo and go."

"Thanks babe," the man replied and walked out of her classroom. His odor reeked of cologne and a wet dog. How had none of the kids ever notice him before, and more importantly, what was he doing here? As we crossed paths, he smirked at me and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Dr. Cullen. Nice to see you." And with that, he sauntered off. He was either unaware of his ancestry and the treaty or simply asking for repercussions. I shook my head and entered the classroom. Perhaps I would get her an air freshener.

 **A/N: Haha, I did my best with Carlisle's voice, but it's just so difficult to write an already established character with barely any parts in the actual books and movies. Ugh, that's where a Beta Reader would be super helpful, but I doubt anyone would be willing to comply with my nonexistent and sporadic writing sprees. -.-**

 **I would also like to thank those that reviewed! (and of course followed and favorited) Your amazing comments definitely motivated me to finish writing this overdue chapter~**


End file.
